Austin's Latino Community Sends 70+ Pallets to Venezuela

When Jose Mata heard about the twin earthquakes that rocked Venezuela, the Austin business owner cried for three days. Then he got to work.

The back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes killed more than 2,295 people and injured 11,000 more last week. Within hours, the Austin Venezuelan Association launched donation drives across the city.

Mata, who owns the moving company SureMove, immediately offered his warehouse and trucks. He halted all business operations to make room for pallets of clothing, food, and medical supplies. "Everything is at the service right now of the humanitarian help for Venezuela," he said.

For nearly a week, Mata has worked over 12 hours daily alongside complete strangers. Between 20 and 40 volunteers show up each day to sort, package, and wrap donations for shipment.

Raul Mena spent his day off fortifying pallets for transport. The 31-year-old volunteer waited anxiously for messages from his family in Venezuela as he worked. When word finally came that they were safe, he doubled down on his efforts to help others still in danger.

The operation has grown rapidly. Last weekend, the association organized a donation rally in Pflugerville that collected 70 pallets of aid. On Tuesday, volunteers set up outside Plaza de Toros R3 before the Mexico-Ecuador World Cup game, asking soccer fans to donate.

Spanish radio host Jaime Zapatero offered free shirts to anyone who contributed. He encouraged his followers to give what they could.

Elizabeth Gunz, director of the Austin Venezuelan Association, coordinates the logistics. All donations travel first to Miami, then make their way to Venezuela. The money raised helps cover shipping costs and provides direct relief to families.

The Ripple Effect

The response has stretched far beyond the Venezuelan community. Gunz said people from all backgrounds have contributed to the weekend drive's success, proving that compassion crosses cultural lines.

Business owners like Mata are accepting financial hits without hesitation. The moving company has lost revenue during one of Austin's busiest seasons, but Mata said the impact on his business is nothing compared to the devastation his homeland faces.

Volunteers continue arriving at the warehouse daily, many taking vacation days or using weekends to help. They work shoulder to shoulder with people they've never met, united by a common mission to ease suffering thousands of miles away.

The Austin Venezuelan Association continues accepting donations through their GoFundMe and website, and they post volunteer opportunities on social media. Every contribution, Gunz said, goes toward something good.