Richmond groups collect donations for Venezuela earthquake victims: 'It's completely gone'

RICHMOND, Va. — A Richmond food truck owner and two local organizations are collecting donations Saturday for victims of the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela three days ago, as the death toll climbed to 1,430 and families reported at least 68,900 people missing.

Nonprofit Ven Conmigo and restaurant Cochiloco are accepting donations of non-perishable food, hygiene products, baby supplies, pet supplies, medicines, clothing, shoes, protein bars and first aid and emergency supplies from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Cochiloco in Scott's Addition.

The drive comes as rescuers and civilians in Venezuela's state of La Guaira searched for survivors using shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and bare hands atop mounds of toppled concrete. The state is one of the hardest hit by the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes.

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Arnaldo Goita, owner of the Richmond food truck On the Grill RVA, is supporting the relief effort and said the disaster is personal for him.

"It affects me a lot and I was just there two months ago. And everything that I'm looking in the news, every building I saw it, the airport that I got devastated, I was there," Goita said. "The room where I stayed in Caracas, where I slept, both walls came down. I have a cousin that he almost lost his two daughters. His building came down completely."

Goita said he has been sending money directly to family members in Venezuela who are helping with relief efforts on the ground.

"I have cousins buying water. They just bought a case of safety glasses for people to work and do the effort... I have another friend that actually I sent money to him and they bought some concrete. They're trying to repair some water leaks and whatnot," Goita said.

He said monetary donations [click here to donate] move faster than physical goods and urged people to consider giving directly to Ven Conmigo.

FULL INTERVIEW: Arnaldo Goita visited Venezuela 2 months ago. The earthquakes changed everything

"Physical stuff are going to take a lot longer to get there than actual money that we can transfer there right now," Goita said.

On the Grill RVA is also donating $2 from every arepa sold toward Venezuelan relief efforts.

Goita said he returned to Venezuela for the first time in 10 years just two months ago and described a country that had improved significantly — only to see it devastated.

"We went to La Guaira, we walked, we ate on a restaurant in front of the ocean," Goita said. "Everything was beautiful and now everything we're seeing that all is gone, it's completely gone and we need help."

Goita said the United States had already sent aircraft to assist with relief efforts in Venezuela.