In Woodside, Queens, the signs of Colombia are hard to miss.
Flags hang outside businesses while boxes of donations are now stacking up inside one of them.
“We were all on the same page. We all texted each other saying, ‘Listen, this is an opportunity to step up,’” organizer John Londono said.
Londono is part of the Colombian American Police Association, the organization that set up more than a dozen collection sites across the city following the deadly earthquake on Monday.
When organizers needed a place in Woodside, Franklin Santana opened his doors.
“Here in Queens, it’s a big Colombian community. We feel it,” Santana said. “It hurts, and if we can help here, why not?”
That’s what brought carloads of donations there.
“They tell us there’s a big need right now for first aid and emergency supplies like tents, gloves, masks because of all the rubble that is there,” Londono said.
In Colombia, rescuers are still searching through the wreckage of collapsed buildings.
This as the rescue operation continued. So far, nearly 200 people have been killed, and more than 3,000 are injured.
And for survivors, the need is growing.
“We’re just trying to give a little piece of our hearts to the people who are having a bad time there,” volunteer Catalina Rodriguez said.
Queens state Sen. Jessica Ramos was in Colombia during the earthquake.
Her team in New York is holding a relief drive as well, and they’re also holding a vigil for the victims of the earthquake on Wednesday.
Other relief drives can be found here.