This article was co-published with La Opinión, the leading Spanish-language news outlet in the U.S., and produced under the California Local News Fellowship program at the University of Berkeley.
Filled with uncertainty over not being able to contact her parents following the consecutive earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday, Kelly Montano, owner of Full Arepas in Downtown Los Angeles, sprang into action.
Now she has turned her restaurant into a donation center for anyone wishing to drop off essential supplies to be sent to her home country.
“Ever since I announced that people could come to donate and that we’re working with Olate transportation, which offered to send all this humanitarian aid, people have responded very well,” Montano says, surprised to see how the donation corner was beginning to fill up. “The phone won’t stop ringing; people keep coming in, asking questions, and bringing their donations.”
On Thursday, she posted a video on her social media accounts to let followers know that her doors were open to anyone who wanted to donate, as well as to those who simply wanted to be in community with others.
Like many Venezuelans in the United States, Montano has experienced anxiety, worry, and sadness in the wake after the earthquakes, especially when it comes to receiving word from her mother and father.
“I’ve completely lost contact with my parents; in fact, they’re searching for them right now,” Montano says, with a visible sadness in her eyes. “I have relatives searching for them in one of the buildings that collapsed. And I hope to hear from them today.”
“We’re going to find them, you’ll see,” a friend reassures Montano, as she continues checking her cell phone every few minutes.
According to Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, the death toll from the disaster has risen to over 1,000 people, with more than 51,000 missing. There are at least 3,360 injured and 172 people still trapped in the rubble, and at least 3,000 people have lost their homes.
Among the 1,400 damaged buildings are 13 hospitals and 25 shopping centers. These numbers have only risen through the weekend.
Calling for Donations
Montano’s restaurant, which she has been running for a year, is now a donation center, she says. A little piece of Venezuela doing everything it can to help its people. Some of the donations she is seeking include basic necessities, medical supplies, diapers, gauze, blankets, gloves, hand sanitizer, and everything needed to treat fractures and wounds. They asked to avoid donating water, as the most needed items are medical ones.
On Friday, when we visited her, people kept arriving with bags and boxes full of supplies. Montano said the donation corner has filled up several times since it was designated as a donation center.
“There are people who may not believe the magnitude of the situation, but I assure you it’s serious and we need your support,” Montano says. “Perhaps because my parents are currently trapped under the rubble, I’m a little more aware of how serious and tragic the situation is, but we know it’s worse than we think.”
One of the people who came to the restaurant to donate some items was Iris Pérez, who says, “Thanks to God,” her parents are fine, and that they were not near the epicenter of the earthquake.
Even so, Pérez says they were still frightened upon receiving the news, and still feels devastated by the devastation left behind by the earthquake.
“Like many Venezuelans, we’re feeling a sense of uncertainty—a feeling I can’t explain: not being able to sleep, crying all the time,” she explains, holding back tears. “Seeing everything that’s happening—just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. I can’t grasp the magnitude of it all, but my body feels it, and it’s something I can’t put into words.”
As people continued to arrive, some stayed after donating to support the business by buying and enjoying its delicious arepas. Many of them are seeking refuge in this small restaurant, where they can help their community but also find warmth and comfort among other Venezuelans and members of the Los Angeles community.
“It’s heartbreaking: all Venezuelans are suffering right now, right now,” says Maikelis Peña, who brought her donations to the restaurant.
“We need the support of all Venezuelans here in the United States and in other countries, because our people in Venezuela need us. Being in the United States right now is a blessing because we can organize ourselves; we can’t be there, but we can contribute from here. Imagine if each one of us did this,” another person accompanying Peña says. “Los Angeles stands with Venezuela; all these Venezuelans and people of different nationalities have joined this great effort, and we are very grateful to them.”
The Venezuelan population in the United States has more than doubled in the last five years. It’s estimated that there are around 1 million Venezuelans in the country, and about 8,000 of them live in Los Angeles.
“Any contribution, no matter how small, helps,” Peña says.
Montano tell us that the first round of donations will be sent to Venezuela on Wednesday, and she asks people to come to the restaurant to donate if they can. She says that she plans to continue accepting donations and that the community can stay informed about which items are needed through her Instagram account.
That day, even as she smiles while serving her customers and watching people arrive, the worry and pain she feels for her family and her country are still visible in his eyes.
“To be honest, I’m really grateful to the community because you can truly feel the strength of their support,” Montano says. “Our country has gone through a lot of sadness, and we know we’ll rise above it—we need strength, and we need to stand together.”
Full Arepas ~ 312 W. 7th St. Los Angeles, CA 90014
