PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — It’s been almost a week since two massive earthquakes devastated Venezuela, and many people throughout the Tampa Bay Area are stepping up to help.
"It’s my home. It will forever be my home," said Andrea Osorio.
WATCH: St. Pete restaurant collects donations for Venezuelan earthquake survivors
Osorio is proud of where she comes from. She now runs a Venezuelan restaurant in St. Pete.
"It’s been seven months of Carupano Kitchen," said Osorio.
Her mission isn’t only to make Venezuelan food, it’s also to help her family and friends back home.
"I got a WhatsApp message from my dad where I could hear his voice, desperation, saying 'we are ok, we are ok, I just want you to know we are ok, we are outside of the building,'" said Osorio.
After two earthquakes devastated Venezuela last week, Osorio is rushing to help.
"Every Venezuelan knows someone who was affected by this. Every Venezuelan," she said.
She began collecting donations at her restaurant. People brought water, clothes, medical supplies and hygiene products.
Then they transported the donations to Miami for shipment to Venezuela.
The restaurant is now collecting a second round of donations.
"When people are going through this horrible tragedy, it’s really important for us to stay informed and use the privilege we do have to help people," said Lauren Haley.
Haley is helping with the effort.
"It’s donating money, it’s donating supplies," she said.
The restaurant owner said she is receiving a lot of donations and can’t store them at the restaurant, so she is asking the community for help finding places to store them.
She is also trying to fly the donations out of the Tampa Bay Area rather than Miami, and is asking private plane companies to assist.
Osorio said the road to recovery is a long one, but she plans to help every step of the way.
"Our people have gone through so much that I just hope that there’s a future where they are safe," said Osorio.
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