Edmontonians rally to help Venezuela earthquake survivors
Local restaurant owner launches donation campaign as death toll climbs past 1,700 in South American disaster.
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Esmeralda Leon, owner of Sazón Venezuelan Experience, is raising funds for survivors of back-to-back earthquakes that devastated her home country last week, with at least 1,700 people confirmed dead according to the United Nations.
For every $20 donated to her campaign, Leon is giving away a freshly made empanada. She's already raised over $3,000 within days of launching the effort.
"We've been here for about 28 years, but our heart never left Venezuela," Leon said. "We feel every bit of what's going on there."
According to Samuel Romero, president of the Association of Venezuelans in Edmonton, about 50,000 people remain missing. "Priorities are changing each and every day," he said. "That's where we need to keep our community united and together."
Edmontonians with Venezuelan family members described harrowing rescues. Eylyn Tzoumas learned her friend and family were trapped in rubble through a video on Instagram. They spent 24 hours buried before family members rescued them — they learned the survivors were alive only when her friend's phone still worked and she called relatives to confirm.
Leon says the campaign is just the beginning of what the community will need. "After this is when we're gonna need more help," she said. "There are kids that will be growing up without their parents, without their family, without stability. They're gonna be vulnerable."
