LOS ANGELES — Stephanie Blanco has never organized anything like this, but seeing the extensive damage the 7.4 magnitude earthquake has left in her country of Colombia, she knew she had to act.
Blanco quickly converted her sister’s old restaurant location, Macondo Kitchen in Van Nuys, into a donation headquarters.
She said her family is safe but among the thousands that have been displaced — and left to sleep outside.
Her efforts have led to trucks full of donations headed to the Red Cross in Miami, which will deliver the supplies to Colombia.
Across the way in southeast Los Angeles, an altar to pray and honor those impacted by the earthquake has been set up at the St. Matthias Catholic Church, led by Colombian Pastor Ruben Restrepo.
Along with a mass dedicated to the victims of the earthquake, the church is having special emergency donation collections during mass for the rest of August that they said will be sent to relief efforts in Colombia.
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