CHICAGO (WLS) — Venezuelan communities across Chicago are mobilizing to send much-needed aid to their homeland following the impact of two catastrophic earthquakes on Wednesday.
The natural disasters have left the nation in turmoil, with the death toll surging to 1,430 by Saturday and an unsettling 68,900 individuals reported missing. The twin earthquakes, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, have wreaked havoc in the region.
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Quericozon Venezuela, a restaurant situated in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood, has turned into a bustling hub for relief efforts. Over the past couple of days, volunteers have been busy collecting donations ranging from essential personal hygiene items to critical medications.
“We all understand the dire situation our country is facing,” shared Adriana Rozza, a key figure in the fundraising initiative. “We are gathering necessities like medications and personal care items, including shampoos.”
The overwhelming support from the community has been so immense that organizers have halted clothing donations due to storage constraints. Efforts are now concentrated on packaging and dispatching items like hygiene products and medicines. The collected goods are set to be shipped to Miami, where a local nonprofit will coordinate their delivery to Venezuela.
“We’re just doing as much as we can because we know our government is not helping,” Rozza said.
As the relief effort continues, organizers say they are especially in need of children’s medicine, vitamins and ibuprofen.
Donations can be dropped off at either of the restaurant’s locations in Belmont Cragin or Cicero.
SEE MORE | How to help victims of deadly Venezuela earthquakes
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