Support Earthquake Victims In Venezuela And Colombia On National Fundraising Day

Pollo Campero, the Guatemalan-born fast-casual restaurant, is calling on communities across the United States to support earthquake relief and recovery efforts in Venezuela and Colombia through a national fundraiser on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

Participating Pollo Campero locations will donate 25% of sales from guests who mention the fundraiser at checkout to global humanitarian medical organization Direct Relief and its ongoing earthquake response and recovery efforts.

Nearly two months after the devastating June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela, healthcare providers across that nation continue working to care for patients amid damaged hospitals and disrupted health services. The Colombia earthquake on Aug. 10 compounds the long-term, ongoing recovery needs that organizations like Direct Relief are working to support.

“The victims of back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia will require sustained and substantial support for many months to come, and we intend to help meet those long-term needs," said Karla Patino, vice president of marketing and sales for Pollo Campero. “Here in the U.S., our communities are hurting for those impacted. We want to make it easy for our guests to turn an everyday meal into meaningful support for Venezuelan and Colombian families and communities facing a long recovery.”

“Our connection to the U.S. Hispanic community gives us a meaningful reason to keep these communities at the forefront. We are hoping other brands and organizations will join us, because lasting recovery will require the sustained support of many,” said Luis Javier Rodas, managing director and chief operating officer of Pollo Campero.

Direct Relief has provided more than 11 tons of medical aid and $400,000 in emergency grant funding to support healthcare providers across Venezuela since June. Healthcare needs across Venezuela remain significant as hospitals, healthcare providers and communities continue the long process of recovery, and the organization is now mobilizing aid in Colombia as well.

"Partnerships have the power to extend the reach and impact of humanitarian response in ways no organization can achieve alone,” said Jennifer Lotito, chief external affairs officer of Direct Relief. “We're grateful to Pollo Campero for standing with the people of Venezuela and Colombia and demonstrating how businesses, communities and humanitarian organizations can work together to help ensure families continue to have access to the healthcare and support they need throughout recovery."

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