Hi, I'm Samantha Rianhard, and I'm a high school student who's decided to do something about a disaster that I can't stop thinking about.

On June 24, 2026, two huge earthquakes, just seconds apart, hit northern Venezuela. They were the strongest earthquakes the country has seen in over a hundred years. In just a few seconds, buildings collapsed, neighborhoods lost power, and thousands of families lost their homes and the people they love. As of now, more than 5,000 people have died, over 16,700 have been injured, and nearly 18,000 have been left without a home. The UN estimates that millions of people have been affected, many of them kids my age and younger.

Here's the thing that's really getting to me. It's only been about a month since the earthquakes, and I've already stopped seeing news about the disaster. But people are still suffering. I did some research and found that many of the international rescue teams have already gone home. Families there are still trying to find loved ones, still sleeping in shelters, still starting over from nothing. This made me want to help.

So I'm doing something about it, and I'm hoping that you will help. Every dollar donated by August 10 by people outside the Rianhard family will be matched up to a total of $2,000. So, if we reach $2,000 in donations, a total of $4,000 will be sent to Venezuela to help the victims.

Donations are tax deductible and all funds will go to Direct Relief's Venezuela earthquake response. Direct Relief is one of the highest-rated charities in the country and is already responding to this emergency in Venezuela. Direct Relief will not use any funds for their own costs. They're sending emergency medicine and medical supplies to healthcare partners on the ground, funding search-and-rescue, and supporting medical teams taking care of survivors.

No donation is too small. Sharing this fundraiser with others would also be a huge help. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for helping me remind the people of Venezuela that we haven't forgotten about them.

Thank you,

Sam