ORLANDO, Fla. — As a humanitarian crisis only worsens in Venezuela, a young Venezuelan woman living in Orlando has found a way to help and get the community involved.
- Nonprofit aims to help with crisis in Venezuela
- Nonprofit collects/ships everday items to communities in need
- Want to donate to 'Sending Love to Venezuela? Click here.
It all started a few years ago when Roxy Eustache got a phone call from her family back home.
“I get the call, and they tell me a mother who’s close to them urgently needs baby formula or her baby would die,” remembered Eustache.
She immediately went to a store, bought the formula and shipped it to Venezuela.
“I thought to myself, if people don’t have family abroad to buy this for them, what happens?” she said.
Things such as baby formula, diapers, hand sanitizers and even bandages are easily found at local stores in the U.S., but in Venezuela, they’re considered a luxury.
That’s why Eustache and her boyfriend founded ‘Sending Love to Venezuela,’ a nonprofit organization that collects and ships everyday items to Venezuela.
“When families open the boxes and see what we send, it’s like they found gold,” said Eustache.
On Monday, her and a group of volunteers met at Dog Grooming Academy, to pack a new batch of donations. Eustache is forever thankful to all her donors and sponsors who make things happen.
“Everything here is donated by my friends, people from other states; even where we’re at, is thanks to the Adamaris Lopez, the owner of this dog grooming salon. I’ve been blessed by being surrounded of people who care,” said Eustache.
The volunteers packed a total of 10 boxes filled with food and first-aid kits.
“I mean it’s shocking, because we focus so much on fixing things around here, but we have so good compared to so many people,” said volunteer Josh Galyean.
After packing, the boxes are shipped to Venezuela and take about a month to arrive.
“It’s not just shipping a box; you’re having people who have to know how to make that arrive safely,” said Eustache about how difficult it can be to send help to the Latin American country.
For Eustache, creating awareness is the first step and having people from all backgrounds come together to pack and send love is what really makes a difference.
“Everyone is putting what they know they can share, and that’s what love is. You know what you can put and what you can give, and you know that you love to give,” said Eustache.
The boxes will be shipped to Barquisimeto this week. They will be used for a medical mission trip to treat children. Eustache expects about 300 children to show up, some from neighboring towns.
“You have families who will walk miles and miles just to have a doctor check the kids for free. It’s something really special that we can help with,” she said.
Sending Love to Venezuela is always looking for donations and people to volunteer.