Venezuela earthquake relief efforts don’t let up in South Florida

DORAL, Fla. — Nearly two weeks after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, relief efforts in South Florida continued Monday.

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Volunteers at the Global Empowerment Mission in Doral unpacked trucks, buses and vans filled with donations of critical supplies for those in need.

Earlier on Monday, groups like ProKel Mobility and Latinos in Transit were in Kendall loading up one of those buses to send to GEM.

“So, our connection is to at least give them some peace that their families are receiving the essentials so they can do what they do best, which is move people, move goods so that the building of the country starts up,” Lina Aragon, with Latinos in Transit, said.

Cristhian Mancera Mejia, with the Miami-Dade Community Council, said, “I was really touched by the whole situation. Just understanding how that feeling of those members of our community, some of them who have TPS or have some immigration situation pending, they’re going through that stress here locally and then they have to worry about a family member who either died or is trying to survive because they made it out of these buildings that collapsed.”

Meanwhile, in Miami, city and county officials teamed up with the Miami Marlins to collect supplies at loanDepot Park.

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Miami relief drive:

The drive will run for at least a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fans are even encouraged to contribute items on game days.

“We will get them to the right people,” Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins said. “We all know there is a regime in Venezuela that we cannot trust, but we are working with our Department of State to make sure that the supplies get to where they need to go.”

Miami-Dade Commissioner Vicki Lopez said that it’s “critically important that everyone turn out for the Venezuelan people.”

“There is nothing more important than being there for your brothers and your sisters, and since we have so many of them living in Miami-Dade, it only makes sense for the entire community to please whatever you can do, because a lot of people are asking me, ‘What can I do?’ Well, here’s your chance to act,” she said. “Bring whatever supplies are on the list.”

Local 10 News has a list of needed supplies and other resources to help Venezuela.

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