In a narrow cargo garage in Katy, Texas, roughly 30 minutes west of Houston, bags of canned tuna, diapers, and Advil lined the floor Thursday morning as volunteers sorted donations into cardboard boxes. The scene represented one of several grassroots relief efforts organized by Houston's Venezuelan community in response to devastating earthquakes that struck their homeland just hours earlier.
Two powerful earthquakes—a 7.2-magnitude foreshock followed less than a minute later by a 7.5-magnitude quake—struck Venezuela's northern coast Wednesday evening, killing at least 235 people and injuring roughly 4,300 others, according to Venezuelan officials and the U.S. Geological Survey. Officials indicated that hundreds of people may still be trapped under debris.
The disaster prompted an immediate response from Houston's Venezuelan community, which numbers approximately 83,000 people in the greater metropolitan area, making it one of the nation's largest Venezuelan populations, according to the Pew Research Center.
Arianna Regardia arrived at MetaBox Cargo in Katy on Thursday morning to drop off hygiene items including pads, tampons, and body soap. After confirming that her grandmother in Caracas, near the epicenter of the quakes, was safe, Regardia felt compelled to help those who were not as fortunate. She soon found herself packing boxes alongside other volunteers as donations continued to arrive.
"One thing I admire about being Venezuelan is our resilience," Regardia told NPR, as tears welled in her eyes. "Being there for each other and just supporting each other during the tough times."
The emotional weight of watching the disaster unfold from thousands of miles away has been difficult for many in the community. Regardia emphasized the importance of collective action in the face of such distance. "Being far away from your family, and being on the outside…it's very important for us to come together and support our people," she told NPR.
Multiple donation sites opened across the Houston area Thursday, with Mi Querencia Latin Market in Katy serving as another major collection point. Outside the market, volunteers dressed in the Venezuelan flag's yellow, blue, and red greeted arriving donors. By midafternoon, donation boxes were accumulating along the market's aisles.
Alberto Avila dropped off three bags of canned food and clothing at Mi Querencia Latin Market after learning his relatives in Venezuela were safe. "We are outside the country, the only way we can help is — our stuff. Clothes, food, something to send to Venezuela to help," Avila told NPR.
Amelia Millan, who has lived in the United States for approximately 21 years, brought bags of donations to volunteers at the market. While her family members were safe, many of their homes sustained significant damage. "I wish I could get on a plane and be there right now, believe me, my heart and my mind are there right now," Millan told NPR. "It's very hard to concentrate on work or anything else, but this is something else we can do."
Organizers indicated that supplies would be shipped to Venezuela as soon as possible, though damage to Caracas' main airport could complicate those efforts. The relief drive reflects similar donation efforts emerging across the United States, where an estimated 1.2 million Venezuelans lived as of 2024, according to the Pew Research Center.
On Thursday, the Trump administration pledged $150 million for relief efforts. The U.S. military, which has maintained a heightened presence in Venezuela since the January arrest of then-President Nicolás Maduro on drug charges, announced it will provide aircraft to support search-and-rescue operations and deliver aid, according to the U.S. Department of State.
By late Thursday afternoon, the donation sites buzzed with activity—the sounds of ripped packing tape and conversations in Spanish filling the air. Inside the hot garage at MetaBox Cargo, volunteers paused between packing supplies to write messages of hope and support on the wall beside a Venezuelan flag.
One message captured the sentiment of the day: "Estamos contigo, Venezuela." We are with you, Venezuela.
