DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - As search-and-rescue crews in Venezuela race against time to find people trapped under rubble for days in the aftermath of two powerful earthquakes, charities and other nonprofit organizations continue to send support from South Florida.
One day after the first cargo plane from Global Empowerment Mission touched down in Caracas to help the hardest-hit areas, volunteers at the nonprofit’s warehouses are sorting and packing all the items that will be loaded onto those cargo planes.
7News cameras on Monday afternoon captured the organized chaos, as these volunteers deliver the power of hope in a time where hope is hard to come by.
“It’s hard because – I thank God because my family is safe, but all Venezuela is our family, so everybody has to share,” said a woman who came to drop off supplies. “I appreciate the time, and you share all the information, because it’s amazing what has happened. I mean, it’s a massive disaster, but you appreciate it, the good humans we have in the world.”
The supply drive comes after the Bianchi brothers posted a video to Instagram that received thousands of views.
“Today our hearts are with Venezuela,” said Alessandro Bianchi in the video.
The young siblings spoke to 7News on Monday morning from GEM’s headquarters.
“Jesus said that you can serve others, [that] serving others you serve God, so we’re serving God, and you get to help other people,” said Leo Bianchi. “They were suffering, and now you help them.”
Leo and Alessandro spend their weekends giving back, and this time, it’s personal.
“So we want to help other people. That’s our mission, and our parents are from Venezuela, so we wanted to take action on this. We came here to volunteer and donate,” said Leo.
And for some Venezuelans living in South Florida, like Beruscka Dolobko, the past five days have been incredibly difficult.
Dolobko showed a 7News crew pictures on her smartphone of loved ones who are still missing in the wake of the devastating temblors.
“This is Rafael Serra. This is Aranza Serra. I’ve been posting pictures. This is the phone number,” she said.
Dolobko is one of many Venezuelans still waiting to hear about friends and loved ones still missing, but hundreds are still showing up at GEM’s headquarters in Doral to do what they can.
While volunteers remain hard at work, hundreds more people lined the roads around the headquarters in their vehicles as they waited in line to drop off supplies.
“I’m speechless. As a person that’s worked with GEM for seven years and helped on countless missions, we always have a huge outpouring of support from the community, but this is unprecedented,” said Francine Delarosa, executive board member with GEM.
Early Monday afternoon, the main warehouse was packed to the brim. Officials with GEM had to rent multiple more warehouses, and every day they will be sending multiple cargo planes with supplies to distribute.
Michael Capponi, GEM’s founder and president, posted a video showing the devastating conditions on the ground in Venezuela.
“Here you have hundreds of buildings that look exactly like Surfside with the same scenario, so at every building you have search-and-rescue crews,” he said. “You can’t talk, you have to turn off your car, you have to turn off the motorcycle, because it has to be like radio silence, because they’re just listening and hoping to hear like someone just hitting something.”
Capponi detailed how GEM’s teams are helping.
“Here the biggest role is 100% the United States State Department and its partners, so that’s already something very different,” he said. “So the burden is now on the United States groups and the American companies to help you.”
Back in South Florida, the diaspora is absolutely stepping up.
“I’m late, but I called my boss and [said], ‘Please, give me a few minutes, I need to donate,” said the woman who came to drop off supplies.
Venezuelan American content creator Lele Pons also came to GEM’s headquarters.
“Venezuelan people need help for a while — this is not just now — and then back to normal, this is gonna be a tough road, and I think the more help the better,” she said.
And there has been a lot of help here over the past couple of days. Just on Sunday alone, 1,500 vehicles came to GEM’s headquarters to donate items.
In terms of items to donate, GEM is advising against bringing water, since they already have a lot, and they are not accepting clothes or children’s toys. They are encouraging to bring nonperishable food and construction items.
While supplies are important, GEM officials said, cash donations are what’s most needed at the moment. To make a donation, click here.
For a list of official collecting sites across Miami-Dade, click here.
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