Latino Equity Fund announces first $192,500 in grants for earthquake recovery by Mass. United for Venezuela Fund
Funding round focuses on emergency services, children and health
September 9, 2026
Boston – The Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund, created through the Latino Equity Fund at The Boston Foundation in partnership with local Venezuelan organizations and Venezuelan-owned businesses, today announced $192,500 in its first round of grants and commitments to support communities recovering from the devastating June earthquakes in Venezuela.
The funding is turning donations raised in Massachusetts into direct support for people affected by the disaster, from food and health services to prosthetic and rehabilitation support for survivors who lost limbs. It is also helping restore a public school in Catia La Mar, where nearly 1,000 students will receive school supply kits and new computers for their technology lab.
“Delivering aid to Venezuela has required more than urgency. It required trust, care, and accountability. This first distribution demonstrates the leadership of the Venezuelan community and the power of people coming together around a shared purpose,” said Javier Juarez, Executive Director of the Latino Equity Fund at the Boston Foundation. “That is what a community foundation should do: bring people together, turn compassion into action, and ensure resources reach those who need them most. This is an important first step, but our work is far from over.”
The first round includes $25,000 for World Central Kitchen to support food relief efforts in Venezuela, $25,000 for Otro Enfoque working to support families and children with mental health support in Caracas and La Guaira. and $25,000 for Acción Solidaria to continue its work with earthquake-affected communities in La Guaira.
Another $25,000 is designated to support Fundación Juan Pablo Dos Santos and the work led by Juan Pablo Dos Santos focused on helping survivors who lost limbs access prosthetic and rehabilitation support, with the goal of helping them regain mobility and independence.
In Catia La Mar, one of the communities most affected by the earthquakes, $20,000 will support Fundación Mano de Dios in helping restore a public school serving nearly 1,000 students. The organization will provide computers for the school’s technology lab and school supply kits for students, helping restore educational resources for children in the community.
Thank you to our first round of Mass. United for Venezuela grantees, including:
World Central Kitchen
Acción Solidaria
Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts
Fundación Juan Pablo Dos Santos
Otro Enfoque
Fundación Mano de Dios
Casa Venezuela New England
VENtanas
ARTMavie
...and additional health, education and community initiatives.
Other grants and commitments will support health and oral health services, children and families, education, arts and cultural programs, and other community-based recovery efforts.
“People trusted us with their donations, and we took that responsibility very seriously. We spent the past two months listening, asking questions, vetting organizations, and looking closely at where these resources could have the greatest impact. I’m proud that this first round combines thoughtful philanthropy with the knowledge and relationships of the Venezuelan community,” said Zamawa Arenas, Co-Chair of the Latino Equity Fund at the Boston Foundation and a member of the Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund.
Emergency response and long-term recovery
The investments come just over two months after northern Venezuela was struck on June 24 by two powerful earthquakes that caused catastrophic damage across La Guaira, Caracas, Miranda, Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón and Yaracuy. Thousands of people were killed or injured and tens of thousands more were displaced. The United Nations has estimated the disaster caused approximately $6.7 billion in damage, nearly 6 percent of Venezuela’s annual GDP.
In the immediate aftermath, the Latino Equity Fund at the Boston Foundation joined local Venezuelan organizations, Venezuelan-owned businesses, community leaders and partners on the ground in Venezuela to establish the Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund. The fund was created to respond to urgent humanitarian needs, including search and rescue, emergency medical care, food and clean water, temporary shelter and essential supplies, while building a regional philanthropic response capable of supporting the much longer recovery ahead.
“Behind every dollar we are investing is a person whose life changed forever that day. A child who needs to return to school. A survivor fighting to walk again. A family trying to rebuild after losing everything,” said Ciro Valiente, Board Director of the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts and a partner of the Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund. “What our community in Massachusetts has made possible gives me so much hope, but this is only the beginning. Recovery will take years, and we want the people of Venezuela to know that they will not have to face that road alone.”
The Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund will continue working with trusted organizations and partners to identify needs and direct resources toward communities affected by the earthquakes.
Continued donations will allow the fund and its partners to respond as needs evolve, from helping families and survivors recover to restoring schools, health services, community infrastructure and economic opportunities in the months and years ahead.
To support the continued recovery of communities affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela, donate to the Massachusetts United for Venezuela Fund at: tbf.org/venezuela.