DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Volunteers at the Global Empowerment Mission in Doral continue to work nonstop gathering relief supplies and sending them to those affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela.
GEM Founder Michael Capponi, who has been on the ground in Venezuela for days, has assured people that the items are reaching the hardest hit communities as several charities work with local partners to distribute the critical aid.
“I see a lot of hope personally with this, but unfortunately we still have 50,000 people missing and that’s the main focus right now,” said Capponi.
The aid boxes include food, water, diapers, hygiene kits and other essential supplies for the earthquake victims.
“The response is going to be very strong, I mean, we have to set up infrastructure here, major warehouses, we’re going to have trucks and planes, everything, every single day, for months and if not years to come,” said Capponi.
Volunteers at the warehouse have continued to pack up boxes with food, water, diapers and other essential items for the people of Venezuela.
As those on the ground hand out aid kits, search and rescue teams are racing against time as survivors are still being found nearly a week after the earthquakes rocked the South American country.
“So at every building you have search and rescue crews. 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 to, you know, show that they’re still alive,” said Capponi.
Back at GEM’s Doral warehouse, the outpouring of support shows no signs of slowing down.
“People are coming in to volunteer their time and their supplies and then those go on cargo planes everyday to the receiving side,” said Kimberley Bentley, GEM Director of Emergency Response.
One of the volunteers, Martin Langesfeld, tells 7News he’s helping out because he knows what it’s like to suffer a tragedy as his sister died in the Surfside condo collapse in 2021.
“It’s hard seeing how many families are suffering across the country without the resources needed and just hoping that their family are alive and found,” he said. “Your head is in such a state of shock that you don’t realize what goes on behind the help and donations, the logistics and resources.”
As those in Doral continue packing boxes, the outpouring of support for Venezuela has reached Aventura where a relief drive was held as South Floridians send all the help they can.
“They desperately need us in Venezuela,” said Mobile Mike.
U.S. officials said around 300 first responders from across the country are on the ground in Venezuela and the State Department has announced at least $300 million in aid to help rebuild in the aftermath.
The Venezuelan government said over 1,700 people are dead, but hope is still alive for those missing in the rubble.
GEM has committed $35 million worth of aid to Venezuela, making it one of the biggest humanitarian missions they’ve ever taken on.
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 other official collecting sites across Miami-Dade, click here.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.