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Global Empowerment Mission volunteers distribute boxes of aid to people in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa devastated the island.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Global Empowerment Mission<\/p>\n
A Miami-based nonprofit is mobilizing to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes devastated the country Wednesday, killing hundreds of people. Officials warn the death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue.<\/p>\n
Global Empowerment Mission, GEM, headquartered in Doral at 1850 NW 84th Ave., is accepting donations<\/a> and coordinating an emergency response. The organization expects to have response teams on the ground in Venezuela by Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cThe GEM team, partnered with our long-term Venezuelan partner I Love Venezuela, is currently mobilizing in response to the developing situation,\u201d the organization said in a statement posted on its website.<\/p>\n Beginning Thursday volunteers and staff at GEM\u2019s Doral headquarters will assemble and prepare humanitarian aid, including food, bottled water, hygiene kits, medical supplies and other emergency relief items.<\/p>\n The Venezuelan Caribbean was rocked by two powerful earthquakes measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 that struck just 39 seconds apart, according to the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center.<\/p>\n