Chesterfield Restaurant Launches Earthquake Relief Drive for Venezuela
TL;DR: Chesterfield restaurants including Chamo's Arepa House are collecting donations of food, medicine, and supplies to aid victims of devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, killing over 1,450 people.
Quick facts
- Who: Chamo's Arepa House, Steak and Sabor, Mercy Chefs nonprofit
- What: Donation drive collecting nonperishable food, medicine, baby formula, diapers, and rescue supplies for Venezuelan earthquake victims
- When: Started June 24-29, 2026
- Where: Chesterfield County and Venezuelan restaurants across Richmond area
The story
Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, reshaping the country's landscape and claiming more than 1,450 lives. A magnitude 7.2 foreshock hit at 6:04 p.m. local time, followed 39 seconds later by a magnitude 7.5 mainshock centered in San Felipe, Yaracuy. The dual quakes were the strongest Venezuela had experienced since 1900, leaving more than 3,150 injured and over 46,600 reported missing as rescue crews worked to pull survivors from collapsed buildings across Caracas and La Guaira.
In Chesterfield County, the disaster prompted immediate action from the Venezuelan community. Chamo's Arepa House became a collection center for donations, with customers staying to sort supplies as they arrived. Steak and Sabor, a restaurant owned by Venezuelan natives Yanett Diaz and Yana Guerrero-Jones, also began accepting donations of medical supplies, baby formula, diapers, and non-perishable foods. Similar efforts emerged across Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield, with Venezuelan restaurants opening their doors as collection points for the relief effort.
The timing found at least one established relief partner ready to respond. Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based nonprofit, had already established five permanent feeding sites across Venezuela in prior years, with three located in the earthquake impact zone. The organization shifted resources to coordinate disaster relief alongside local restaurants' fundraising efforts.
For Chesterfield's Venezuelan community members with family in the affected areas, the relief drive offered both practical contribution and connection to home. International assistance mobilized swiftly: countries deployed 2,624 rescue workers and 137 search dogs, while the United States sent military assets including the USS Fort Lauderdale and USS Billings, along with transport aircraft to deliver aid.
Key players
- Chamo's Arepa House: Local Chesterfield restaurant serving as donation collection center
- Steak and Sabor: Chesterfield restaurant accepting donations, owned by Venezuelan natives Yanett Diaz and Yana Guerrero-Jones
- Mercy Chefs: Virginia-based nonprofit with established feeding sites in Venezuela coordinating relief response
- Venezuelan community in Chesterfield County: Mobilizing relief efforts and donating to aid affected family members and compatriots
Key dates
- 2026-06-24: Twin earthquakes strike Venezuela (7.2 and 7.5 magnitude)
The case for
Local businesses leveraging community networks and trusted spaces to channel relief creates efficient, culturally-informed aid distribution. Restaurant collection points build on relationships with suppliers and customers, can move goods quickly, and provide direct connection between diaspora communities and affected families who may need specific items like infant formula or medicines.
The case against
Decentralized restaurant-based collection, while well-intentioned, may lack logistics coordination with official relief channels or vetting of what goods are actually usable or needed. Without professional coordination, donations risk inefficiency, duplication, or sending items that don't meet on-the-ground priorities.
Why it matters: The relief drive shows how Chesterfield's Venezuelan community is mobilizing to help during crisis, while highlighting the broader ties many county residents maintain to family and homeland in Latin America.
Places
Development timeline
- 2026-06-24First earthquake strikes Venezuela: Magnitude 7.2 foreshock at 6:04 p.m. VET near San Felipe, Yaracuy [[source]](https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/24/weather/live-news/venezuela-earthquake-puerto-rico-tsunami)
- 2026-06-24Second earthquake follows: Magnitude 7.5 mainshock occurs 39 seconds after first quake, strongest Venezuela has experienced since 1900 [[source]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Venezuela_earthquakes)
- 2026-06-24Chesterfield relief efforts begin: Local Venezuelan restaurants including Chamo's Arepa House and Steak and Sabor open as donation collection centers [[source]](https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/06/29/chesterfield-restaurant-collecting-donations-victims-venezuelan-earthquake/)
Related links
Read the original at Google News: Chesterfield Restaurant →
Sources
- Chesterfield restaurant collecting donations for victims of Venezuelan earthquake
- 2026 Venezuela earthquakes
- June 24-25, 2026 — Venezuela rocked by 7.5 and 7.2 magnitude earthquakes
- How Richmond's Venezuelan community mobilized after the earthquakes
- Responding to Venezuela Earthquakes