Two earthquakes recently hit Venezuela within the span of 40 seconds. Relief efforts across the globe have poured in as more than 68,000 people remain missing and over 1,700 have died. Rescue and medical crews on Saturday faced hourslong delays heading into La Guaira—the country’s most critical disaster zone—as traffic on the only highway into the area built up due to an influx of volunteer aid. And Venezuela now faces an estimated US$6.7 billion in direct physical damage, not including infrastructure damage and future repairs, according to the U.N. Development Programme.
Many nonprofits, restaurants, mutual aid groups, and more are prioritizing food aid as a crucial method of support. Whether you’re able to donate to a campaign or help package food and water, here are nine of the many organizations in Venezuela and beyond that are earthquake victims.
Caritas has long employed methods of food relief in its humanitarian aid both in Venezuela and abroad, including malnutrition monitoring and food assistance programs and sustainable agriculture work. The Venezuela branch of this global nonprofit humanitarian group deployed its support network in response to the earthquakes. Since then, Caritas Venezuela has set up a donation collection center in Montalbán, where donors can drop off “drinking water, non-perishable food, and essential medicines” between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The group is also accepting monetary donations on its website.
2. Casa Ora and other New York City restaurants
Ivo Diaz, founder of Venezuelan fine dining restaurant Casa Ora in New York City, kickstarted a fundraising campaign shortly after the earthquakes hit, and has since raised nearly US$35,000. Donation money will be used to provide earthquake victims with food, clean drinking water, medical supplies and hygiene kits, and other essential resources. Other New York City restaurants supporting relief efforts include Casa Ora’s sister restaurant Lulla’s, which is prioritizing water purification tablets, face masks, and first aid kits, and El Budare Cafe, which is partnering with other local businesses to collect non-perishable food and other items.
3. Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine and other Los Angeles restaurants
Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine in Pasadena, California is collecting a variety of donations from Fridays to Mondays starting at 11 a.m. The restaurant has already received support from locals who came with medical supplies. Similarly, volunteers at Full Arepas in Los Angeles, which is also hosting donation drives, have provided instant soup, toothbrushes, and other items.
4. CECOSESOLA
The Central Cooperative of Social Services of Lara (CECOSESOLA) is organizing donation drives and volunteer days. The mutual aid group—based in Lara, a Venezuelan state located near where the earthquakes hit—supports low-income families by hosting produce distribution events and supporting cooperative food markets and agricultural producers. CECOSESOLA is accepting non-perishable food, water, clothing, and first aid and hygiene supplies.
5. Mercy Corps
Global humanitarian aid group Mercy Corps is providing a variety of basic needs for earthquake victims, including food, water, cash, and other supplies to support nutritional and health needs. For nearly a decade, Mercy Corps has aimed to provide both immediate relief and long-term aid in Venezuela, focusing on bolstering maternal care, business training, and other self-sufficiency initiatives. You can donate to Mercy Corps here.
This Latin American Indigenous organization is offering food, water, hygiene and medical supplies, and shelter to earthquake victims. The Wayuu Taya Foundation’s goal is to provide access to basic necessities and support the livelihoods of vulnerable Indigenous communities who live near the northern Venezuela-Colombia border. It is seeking donations to support short- and long-term relief efforts.
Chef and restaurateur José Andrés’ humanitarian group scaled up its response to the earthquakes on Monday, expanding its efforts across Caracas, La Guaira, and Carabobo. World Central Kitchen (WCK) is known for cooking fresh, ready-to-eat meals for communities facing disaster, which its team in Venezuela began providing shortly after the earthquakes hit. The group is also establishing an operational hub near Naiguatá “to improve meal preparation, storage, and logistics closer to impacted families.” You can donate to WCK here.
The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) reported having enough food to feed over 10,000 Venezuelan families for two months on Monday. The organization is seeking to quickly mobilize its food provision efforts across the country, along with offering “transport, storage, and coordination infrastructure to national authorities and humanitarian partners.” WFP has supported food security in Venezuela for several years, providing food assistance such as school meals for 760,000 Venezuelans in 2025. You can donate to WFP here.
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Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Army, Pfc. Oshon Trowbridge
