Sue Montoya, a Colorado resident, is coordinating the collection and shipment of cash and supplies to survivors of earthquakes in Venezuela [1, 3].

The grassroots effort highlights the role of community-led disaster response when international aid may be slow to reach affected regions. Montoya is organizing the drive from the Pineville community, driven by the death of her own sister in the disaster [1, 5].

The crisis began on June 24, 2024, when twin earthquakes struck Venezuela [4]. The first quake measured 7.2 magnitude, followed by a second quake measuring 7.5 magnitude [4]. These events resulted in at least 235 deaths and more than 4,300 injuries [4].

Montoya's operation focuses on gathering essential supplies and financial donations to support those displaced by the seismic activity [2, 3]. The Pineville community has rallied to support her mission, facilitating the logistics of shipping aid from the U.S. to Venezuela [3].

By leveraging local networks, the initiative aims to provide immediate relief to victims who lost their homes and livelihoods. The coordination involves managing both cash donations and physical goods to ensure the most urgent needs are met [2, 3].

This effort is part of a broader response to the June 2024 disaster, which caused widespread destruction across the region [4]. The scale of the injuries and deaths underscores the severity of the twin quakes and the ongoing need for external support [4].

“Sue Montoya is coordinating the collection and shipment of cash and supplies to survivors.”

The mobilization of the Pineville community demonstrates how personal tragedy can catalyze international humanitarian aid. Because the earthquakes in Venezuela involved two high-magnitude events in rapid succession, the resulting infrastructure damage and high casualty count create a prolonged recovery period that often exceeds the capacity of local government resources.