Austin Venezuelan Association (AVA)

Austin Venezuelan Association: Urgent Relief for Venezuela Earthquake Victims

We are the Austin Venezuelan Association, a nonprofit founded in 2002 and based in Austin, Texas. For 24 years we've served the Venezuelan community both here and in Venezuela, and today we're mobilizing our network of members, volunteers, and partners to help families directly affected by the two earthquakes that struck the country on June 24, 2026.

Every dollar goes to purchasing and shipping relief supplies — non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, hydration packets, and medical and first-aid kits — to affected families, with any remaining funds used to buy tools and equipment in Venezuela for rescue efforts. We will publish receipts for every shipment and purchase, and document every decision, so you know exactly where your donation goes.

On June 24, 2026, two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck north-central Venezuela, with their epicenter in Yaracuy. It was a holiday, and at that hour many families were home together watching Brazil's World Cup match. When the buildings collapsed, entire families were trapped beneath the rubble.

As of June 26, authorities report nearly 920 dead, more than 2,000 injured, and some 50,000 people registered as missing — figures that keep rising as rescue efforts continue. People are still trapped beneath the collapsed buildings of Caracas, La Guaira, Maracay, Tucacas, and surrounding areas, and crews are working without machinery or proper equipment.

Help is not reaching those who need it. In La Guaira, for example, there has been no rescue operation at all. Businesses are closed. Hospitals have collapsed, treating the injured in hallways and out in the street. Survivors have no water. The so-called "authorities" have not lifted a finger for the population, and families are alone in the streets, waiting.

That's why this community is stepping up. Because someone has to.

The Austin Venezuelan Association is a nonprofit founded in 2002. For 24 years we've served the Venezuelan community, here in Texas and back home in Venezuela. Today we're mobilizing our entire network to respond to this emergency.

Every donation becomes concrete help:

Your contribution turns into boxes of aid — food, flashlights, first-aid supplies — ready to head to Venezuela in the critical first days, when every hour counts. No matter the amount, every dollar helps fill and send the next box.

And every dollar left over will go toward buying what's needed in Venezuela for rescue efforts — including the tools currently missing to move rubble and reach those still trapped. No contribution goes unused.

⚙️ A note on logistics: The situation in Venezuela is changing by the hour. If conditions require it, we will adjust our shipping logistics — route, priorities, or destination of supplies — always with one goal: getting help to those who need it as quickly and effectively as possible. Every decision and every expense will be documented.

Our first-phase goal: $10,000 in aid leaving immediately for Venezuela.

This is phase one. Once we complete it, we'll open phase two: shipments of clothing, shoes, and personal hygiene items to sustain families in the weeks ahead. We'll keep you informed every step of the way.

As a registered nonprofit, we'll publish receipts for every shipment and purchase. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Prefer to donate supplies instead of money?

We're also collecting in-kind donations. PHASE 1 — We're currently accepting the following:

Non-perishable food (preferably in pouch presentations, which weigh less than cans)

Tuna, sardines, and SPAM (pouch or canned)

Pasta with meat (pouch or canned)

Black beans (pouch or canned)

Microwave rice

Protein bars

Dehydrated fruits and vegetables

Nuts and trail mix in individual servings

Powdered milk

Instant oatmeal in individual servings

Peanut butter (pouch or sachet)

Hydration

Powdered hydration packets

Medical supplies

Pain relievers

Surgical gloves

Bandages

First-aid kits

Gauze Pads

Essentials

Flashlights

Batteries

When possible, choose pouch presentations over cans: they weigh less, so we ship more food per box and your donation goes further.

Drop-off date: Sunday, June 28

Location: Fogonero Restaurant:

Location Pflugerville: 800 W Pecan St, Pflugerville, TX 78660

Location Cedar Park: 202 Walton Way #132, Cedar Park, TX 78613

If you can't donate, sharing this campaign also saves lives.

For 24 years we've shown up for our community. Today we do it again and we need you with us.

Elizabeth Gunz

President of Austin Venezuelan Association