The death toll from Wednesday’s devastating earthquakes in Venezuela has risen, with at least 14,000 people killed and another 3,000 others injured.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with dozens of units on the ground, and more on the way.
In Chicago, pastors and businesses across the city are coordinating efforts to send aid.
The disaster brought a coalition of churches, businesses and community leaders to Grace and Peace Church on the city’s West Side – all looking to help.
“We’re created for this to serve others beyond ourselves,” Pastor John Zayas of Grace and Peace Church said. “Love God, love your neighbor, that’s the tagline, and that’s what we do, and so that’s the purpose of this.”
Zayas said the coalition, Unity Chicago, is working on logistics to deliver supplies to impacted families. His warehouse is already stocked with donated items, including hygiene products and boxes of clothes that can go out immediately.
“Right now, I think the biggest challenge is creating a hub in Venezuela, which we have some contacts that we can have a center place where we can send our containers too and then people can go and receive it from there,” Zayas said.
The bipartisan group said they hope to send out the first shipping container next week. They’re also looking to gather donations of baby food, basic medicine and flashlights.
“For me seeing the images, I’ve been seeing, and the videos, it’s hard to stop the tears,” said Nisaac Rosario with Maranatha Church USA.
Rosario said the coalition is leading by faith, love and compassion. They previously sent disaster aid to Haiti and Puerto Rico and even had boots on the ground.
“It’s not always about everything you can do, it’s can you impact one person to be able to help someone else,” Rosario said.
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/OveDSfN
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