Chesterfield restaurant collects donations for Venezuela earthquake relief
TL;DR: Chamo's Arepa House in North Chesterfield joined the Richmond-area Venezuelan diaspora in a rapid relief mobilization for earthquake survivors, collecting donations and coordinating shipments within days of the June 24 disaster.
Quick facts
- Who: Chamo's Arepa House owners Otto Rodriguez and Marines Carta; Ven Conmigo relief team; Venezuelan diaspora community
- What: Donation collection and coordination drive for Venezuelan earthquake relief supplies and cash
- When: June 24-29, 2026; organized within 72 hours of earthquakes
- Where: Chamo's Arepa House, 8211 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield, Virginia
The story
On June 24, 2026, twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck northwestern and central Venezuela near San Felipe, Yaracuy, killing more than 1,450 people and causing an estimated $4.7 to $8.7 billion in damage. The earthquake was the strongest to strike Venezuela since 1900. Within 72 hours, the Richmond area's Venezuelan diaspora mobilized one of its largest humanitarian relief efforts in recent history.
Chamo's Arepa House in North Chesterfield became one of the primary donation collection sites, with community members and customers staying to sort nonperishable food, medicine, first aid kits, diapers, bottled water, and rescue supplies. The collected donations were transferred to First English Lutheran Church on Monument Avenue, where 30 to 40 volunteers worked in blazing heat unloading boxes and organizing supplies for shipment to Venezuela.
The relief efforts expanded rapidly beyond collecting items. Ven Conmigo, a five-person coordination team, raised nearly $10,000 in monetary donations within days and used the funds to purchase supplies directly inside Venezuela, including thousands of arepas for emergency responders in Caracas and La Guaira (one of the hardest-hit cities), hygiene supplies and diapers for displaced families, and demolition tools for firefighters.
Members of the Latino Farmers Market community also volunteered to drive trucks of supplies south to Miami, a major hub for coordinating shipments into Venezuela. The relief effort illustrated both the deep roots of the local Venezuelan diaspora and the rapid, grassroots capacity for disaster response that transcends traditional aid structures.
Key players
- Otto Rodriguez and Marines Carta: Owners of Chamo's Arepa House, provided restaurant as collection site
- Ven Conmigo: Five-person relief coordination team that raised nearly $10,000 and purchased supplies for Venezuela
- Richmond Venezuelan diaspora community: Mobilized relief efforts across multiple restaurants and collection points
- First English Lutheran Church: Warehouse hub on Monument Avenue for sorting and staging donations
Key dates
- 2026-06-24: Twin earthquakes (7.2 and 7.5 magnitude) strike Venezuela near San Felipe, Yaracuy; 1,450+ deaths, 3,150+ injured
- 2026-06-26: Venezuelan community in Richmond mobilizes; restaurants across Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield turn into donation collection sites
- 2026-06-27: First English Lutheran Church warehouse fills with donations; volunteers sort supplies; Ven Conmigo coordinates shipments
- 2026-06-29: Axios Richmond and local outlets report on relief mobilization centered on Chamo's Arepa House and Venezuelan restaurants
The case for
Community-led relief through local restaurants provides immediate, trusted channels for donations and leverages existing networks within the Venezuelan diaspora. Rapid mobilization through familiar gathering spaces like Chamo's Arepa House reduces barriers to participation, allowing neighbors to contribute directly and see tangible impact (supplies sent, money reaching families, responders equipped). Restaurant owners become trusted intermediaries who understand both their customers' desire to help and the specific needs on the ground.
The case against
Grassroots coordination, while powerful, can lack the infrastructure and accountability of established relief organizations. Decentralized collection points across multiple locations may result in uncoordinated efforts or duplicate supplies sent to Venezuela. Without formal logistics, some donations may not reach the most critical areas or vulnerable populations, and donors have limited transparency into how their contributions are ultimately used.
Why it matters: For Chesterfield residents with ties to Venezuela, the relief effort offers a direct way to support family and community during a catastrophic disaster. For the broader county community, the story illustrates both the deep roots of the local Venezuelan diaspora and the rapid, grassroots capacity for disaster response that transcends traditional aid structures.
Places
- Chamo's Arepa House (North Chesterfield)+Chesterfield+VA)
- First English Lutheran Church (Richmond)+Chesterfield+VA)
- Latino Farmers Market (Richmond area)+Chesterfield+VA)
- La Guaira (Venezuela)+Chesterfield+VA)
- Caracas (Venezuela)+Chesterfield+VA)
- San Felipe, Yaracuy (Venezuela)+Chesterfield+VA)
Development timeline
- 2026-06-24Twin earthquakes strike Venezuela: Magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 near San Felipe, Yaracuy; 1,450+ killed, 3,150+ injured, 46,600+ missing, $4.7-8.7B in damage [[source]](https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/24/weather/live-news/venezuela-earthquake-puerto-rico-tsunami)
- 2026-06-26Richmond Venezuelan community mobilizes relief effort: Restaurants across Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield, including Chamo's Arepa House, open as donation collection centers for food, medicine, and supplies [[source]](https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/06/29/richmond-venezuela-earthquake-relief)
- 2026-06-27Donations organized at central warehouse: First English Lutheran Church on Monument Avenue becomes distribution hub with 30-40 volunteers sorting and staging supplies; Ven Conmigo raises nearly $10,000 and coordinates shipments [[source]](https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/06/29/richmond-venezuela-earthquake-relief)
- 2026-06-29Relief mobilization reported to community: Axios Richmond and other local outlets cover the Richmond-area relief effort centered on Venezuelan restaurants and diaspora community coordination [[source]](https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/06/29/richmond-venezuela-earthquake-relief)
Related links
- Chamo's Arepa House official website
- Team Rubicon USA: How to Help Venezuela Earthquake Survivors
- World Vision: 2026 Venezuela Earthquakes
- UNICEF USA: Venezuela Earthquakes
Read the original at Google News: Chesterfield Restaurant →
Sources
- How Richmond's Venezuelan community mobilized after the earthquakes
- June 24-25, 2026 Venezuela earthquakes
- 2026 Venezuela earthquakes
- After deadly twin earthquakes, local Venezuela community comes together to provide relief
- Team Rubicon USA: How to Help Venezuela Earthquake Survivors
- World Vision: 2026 Venezuela Earthquakes
- Chesterfield Restaurant Drives Relief Donations for Venezuela Earthquake
- Chesterfield restaurant mobilizes relief for Venezuelan earthquake victims