Central Florida collects donations for Venezuela after devastating earthquakes
Updated: 3:28 PM EDT Jun 26, 2026
A Central Florida restaurant has become a donation hub for families affected by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, as members of the local Venezuelan community work to help from thousands of miles away while anxiously waiting for news about loved ones. “It’s not easy,” Kelly Jaimes said in Spanish. “There’s a deep sense of helplessness when you can’t be there.” Jaimes said many Venezuelans living in Central Florida feel a responsibility to support those back home by collecting donations, volunteering and encouraging others to help. Her restaurant in Port Orange is now serving as a donation drop-off site, accepting clothing, hygiene products, canned goods, rice, beans and other essentials. Organizers said first aid supplies and medications are among the most urgently needed items because they can be shipped to affected communities more quickly than other donations. The restaurant is expected to deliver all collected donations to a central distribution site on Monday, where they will be prepared for shipment to Venezuela. As the community organizes relief efforts, many families are also coping with uncertainty as they search for relatives and friends who remain missing. Jaimes said the last time her family heard from one missing loved one was Wednesday, when he called before boarding a flight to La Guaira. “After that, we haven’t heard anything else from him,” she said. Community members say they will continue collecting donations while hoping for answers about those still unaccounted for. If you’d like to help, here’s a list of the items organizers are requesting. Donations can be dropped off at any of the following collection locations: PsicoSaludBelleza Academy3357 West Vine St., Suite 103, Kissimmee, FL 34741Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Aixa Aviles Asesora de Negocios13564 Village Park Drive, Suite 0250, Orlando, FL 32837Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Alcaldía de Orlando400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.KOE601 W. Taft Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32824Hours: 2 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Parva220 W. Lake Mary Blvd., Sanford, FL 32773Hours: 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.Arepita Beach174 North Beach St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.Full Sabor4989 S. Ridgewood Ave., Port Orange, FL 32127Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.FASTSIGNS Holly Hill1027 N. Nova Road, Suite 109, Holly Hill, FL 32117Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.The Nucleus Orchestra9521 Orange Blossom Trail, Suite 118, Orlando, FL 32837Hours: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida505 Deltona Blvd., Suite 103, Deltona, FL 32724Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Edward Jones – Justin McCulloch, CFP2982 S. Ridgewood Ave., Edgewater, FL 32141Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Kingdom Movement6881 Kingspointe Parkway, Orlando, FL 32819Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.Parva1330 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL 32724Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
PORT ORANGE, Fla. —
A Central Florida restaurant has become a donation hub for families affected by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, as members of the local Venezuelan community work to help from thousands of miles away while anxiously waiting for news about loved ones.
“It’s not easy,” Kelly Jaimes said in Spanish. “There’s a deep sense of helplessness when you can’t be there.”
Jaimes said many Venezuelans living in Central Florida feel a responsibility to support those back home by collecting donations, volunteering and encouraging others to help.
Her restaurant in Port Orange is now serving as a donation drop-off site, accepting clothing, hygiene products, canned goods, rice, beans and other essentials.
Organizers said first aid supplies and medications are among the most urgently needed items because they can be shipped to affected communities more quickly than other donations.
The restaurant is expected to deliver all collected donations to a central distribution site on Monday, where they will be prepared for shipment to Venezuela.
As the community organizes relief efforts, many families are also coping with uncertainty as they search for relatives and friends who remain missing.
Jaimes said the last time her family heard from one missing loved one was Wednesday, when he called before boarding a flight to La Guaira.
“After that, we haven’t heard anything else from him,” she said.
Community members say they will continue collecting donations while hoping for answers about those still unaccounted for.
If you’d like to help, here’s a list of the items organizers are requesting. Donations can be dropped off at any of the following collection locations:
PsicoSaludBelleza Academy
3357 West Vine St., Suite 103, Kissimmee, FL 34741
Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Aixa Aviles Asesora de Negocios
13564 Village Park Drive, Suite 0250, Orlando, FL 32837
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Alcaldía de Orlando
400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.KOE
601 W. Taft Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32824
Hours: 2 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Parva
220 W. Lake Mary Blvd., Sanford, FL 32773
Hours: 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.Arepita Beach
174 North Beach St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.Full Sabor
4989 S. Ridgewood Ave., Port Orange, FL 32127
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.FASTSIGNS Holly Hill
1027 N. Nova Road, Suite 109, Holly Hill, FL 32117
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.The Nucleus Orchestra
9521 Orange Blossom Trail, Suite 118, Orlando, FL 32837
Hours: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
505 Deltona Blvd., Suite 103, Deltona, FL 32724
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Edward Jones – Justin McCulloch, CFP
2982 S. Ridgewood Ave., Edgewater, FL 32141
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Kingdom Movement
6881 Kingspointe Parkway, Orlando, FL 32819
Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.Parva
1330 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL 32724
Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.