DORAL, Fla. \u2014 One month after back-to-back earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela, relief organizations are continuing to deliver lifesaving supplies as search efforts remain underway for tens of thousands of people still unaccounted for.<\/p>\n
The disaster has also mobilized South Florida\u2019s large Venezuelan community, with volunteers and humanitarian groups working around the clock to send aid overseas.<\/p>\n
At the Global Empowerment Mission warehouse in Doral, the pace has not slowed since the earthquakes struck.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat started as a large-scale relief effort, one month later is still exactly that,\u201d said Billy Richardson, the organization\u2019s director of logistics.<\/p>\n
According to Richardson, GEM has shipped 2,433 pallets of humanitarian aid to Venezuela, totaling more than 3 million pounds of emergency supplies and more than $12 million in humanitarian assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve sent over 2,400 pallets so far,\u201d Richardson said. \u201cIt\u2019s about 1,440 metric tons of aid \u2014 over $12 million worth of aid.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organization also has teams on the ground in Venezuela working to distribute supplies directly to survivors.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver in Venezuela, we have a team with two warehouses, and we\u2019re doing distributions almost on a daily basis,\u201d Richardson said.<\/p>\n
Volunteers have played a critical role in sustaining the relief operation, with many making significant personal sacrifices to help.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been amazing,\u201d Richardson said. \u201cThere\u2019s been people that have taken their entire PTO to come volunteer. I\u2019ve heard people have quit their jobs to volunteer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the massive response, Richardson said the humanitarian crisis is far from over.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s still the beginning,\u201d he said. \u201cWe still have a really high need for basic needs \u2014 canned goods, canned protein, canned vegetables, canned fruits.\u201d<\/p>\n
GEM is continuing to accept donations and recruit volunteers as recovery efforts in Venezuela move into their second month, with organizers saying the need for food, supplies and financial support remains urgent.<\/p>\n