Community Rallies to Support Victims of Venezuelan Earthquakes

Standing outside her Venezuelan restaurant in downtown L.A., Kelly Montana held photos of her parents, fighting back tears. She has lost contact with them since the recent devastating earthquakes in Venezuela. Montana usually talks to them daily, but the quakes have left communication impossible. In response, she transformed her restaurant into a donation center.

Montana’s parents were in La Guaira on vacation during the earthquakes and are now among the 40,600 people reported missing, according to a digital database for tracking loved ones. The initial death toll was 600 and has now risen to 2,200. Montana mobilized her restaurant as a drop-off location for donations. Volunteers, including Lia Saba and her daughter Beverly Arbiz from Grenada Hills and Alecia Negron from Silver Lake, helped organize supplies.

Full Arepas, opened by Montana last year, serves as a sentimental piece of Venezuela in America. Volunteers gathered to pack donated items like sanitary supplies and nonperishable foods to be shipped to Venezuela via Miami, thanks to Olarte Transport. Andrea Casanova, whose grandfather escaped injury during the quakes, shared the community’s shock.

L.A. hosts 6,770 Venezuelans, according to the Los Angeles Almanac. Many residents, like Montana and Casanova, have relatives that are missing or injured. Nova Bakery in Long Beach also launched as a donation center, with owner Pierina Barboza emphasizing unity and aid for the affected.

Despite closing collections earlier in the week, Alviany Dominguez visited Full Arepas Wednesday to donate. Dominguez, originating from Zulia, noted the immense need for help, reinforcing that every contribution matters.

Pierina Barboza aims to continue outreach and organize further aid efforts, contributing even a “grain of sand” to the recovery. Amara Cafe in Pasadena joined the efforts; owner Amara Barroeta pledged 70% of Tuesday’s profits to Global Giving, aiding Venezuela with essential supplies. The arepa pabellón, a traditional fill of the venue’s menu, saw high orders as diners sought comfort through familiar cuisine.

Amara Cafe offered more than food, providing a community haven for Venezuelans to find solace and support during these tough times. Barroeta noted the surreal shared experience felt deeply by Venezuelans.

Full Arepas continues to receive donations, while Montana remains hopeful of news about her parents. Rescue teams persist in searching for survivors in La Guaira amid a shift to recovery efforts. “I have hope today that I’m gonna find them,” Montana stated. “I don’t know in what condition, but I’m going to find them.”