local
Earthquake aid keeps flowing from Florida to Venezuela, as volunteers unite to help recovery
By Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Associated Press at KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate)
· July 14, 2026
· 6 min read
After her grandmother’s house in Caracas narrowly survived last month’s devastating back-to-back earthquakes, Alessandra Izaguirre was desperate to help Venezuela.“Seeing my grandma and all these people affected made me feel like I had to do something, even if it was from the U.S.," said the 18-y...
Key takeaway ," said the 18-year-old, who has spent the last couple weeks preparing food for volunteers at the Doral, Florida headquarters of the nonprofit Global Empowerment Mission.
Why this matters in The San Antonio
San Antonio 's own Venezuelan community is likely watching the relief efforts in Florida with great interest, given the city's strong ties to the Latin American community. The grassroots humanitarian effort based at Global Empowerment Mission's headquarters in Doral, Florida, may inspire similar initiatives in San Antonio, where many residents have family ties to Venezuela. As the city's Venezuelan diaspora community looks for ways to support the recovery, they may turn to local organizations and charities to make a difference. The success of GEM's system, facilitated by the US State Department, could serve as a model for San Antonio-based groups seeking to provide aid to Venezuela. With hundreds of volunteers showing up daily to sort and prepare donated supplies, the sense of community and solidarity is palpable, and San Antonio's own community may be motivated to replicate this effort.
About this story
Original reporting by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) . The San Antonio surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: July 14, 2026 ·
Source: KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) ·
Reading time: 6 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? After her grandmother’s house in Caracas narrowly survived last month’s devastating back-to-back earthquakes, Alessandra Izaguirre was desperate to help Venezuela.“Seeing my grandma and all these people affected made me feel like I had to do something, even if it was from the U.S.," said the 18-y...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 14, 2026 by KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate) and curated for The San Antonio readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Associated Press at KSAT 12 (ABC affiliate). To learn more about how The San Antonio selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The San Antonio, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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