First I want to thank everyone around the world who has checked in to ask about my family, my friends, and my people. Your messages have meant more than you know.

My name is Valentina Martinez. I am a Venezuelan filmmaker and costume professional based in Los Angeles. Like millions of Venezuelans living abroad, I have family, friends, and colleagues who have been directly affected by the recent earthquake.

This is a terrible tragedy, not only because of the scale of the destruction, but because it happened to people who have already suffered so much. Venezuela simply does not have the infrastructure, healthcare system, or economy to face the aftermath of a disaster like this.

Many of you have asked how you can help. For those who have reached out, I’m putting together this fundraiser.

Who I’m raising funds for:

This fundraiser will support families displaced by the earthquake, particularly those who have been evacuated to shelters, hospitals, and temporary housing in Caracas after the devastation in La Guaira.

I am coordinating with lifelong friends on the ground. They are professionals from the Venezuelan film industry who have shifted their time, skills, and energy toward responding to the immediate needs of displaced families.

I know these individuals personally, have worked alongside them, and trust them to carry out this work with intelligence, efficiency, and honesty.

How the funds will be used:

The people I’m coordinating with are focused on monitoring the needs of people in shelters, hospitals, and communities of displaced families in Caracas, where resources can be mobilized and distributed quickly.

Donations will be entrusted to these coordinators and used to purchase and distribute emergency supplies based on the evolving needs identified on the ground. This may include food, drinking water, medications, hygiene products, baby supplies, blankets, clothing, transportation for relief efforts, and other emergency necessities requested by shelters, hospitals, and displaced families.

As immediate relief transitions into recovery, funds may also be used to continue supporting families in the weeks and months ahead.

I know there are many organizations around the world raising funds for Venezuela, and if you feel more comfortable donating to those efforts, please do. Every contribution matters.

This fundraiser exists because direct, grassroots relief can often reach people much faster. Larger humanitarian efforts frequently involve international coordination, government authorization, and complex distribution systems that can delay aid and dilute on the way. The goal of this campaign is to help and empower those brave people on the ground so they can continue responding immediately to urgent needs.

Transparency:

In the coming days, I will introduce each coordinator, share a little about who they are, and provide updates on how the funds are being used, not only for immediate relief, but also for the weeks and months ahead, when help will still be desperately needed. Whenever possible, I will also share photos, receipts, and progress updates so donors can see the impact of their generosity.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting my country during this hour of need.

This is rock bottom for us. But we will rise, as we always have, because we have each other.

Thank you for supporting us in any way you can. And if you have a way to support people directly, please do. Right now, that is one of the best ways to ensure help arrives untouched and reaches the people who need it most.