This week, two earthquakes, the largest a magnitude 7.5, struck Venezuela just seconds apart, devastating communities in La Guaira, Caracas, and the country's main seaport. Within hours, Ford and Ford Philanthropy teams sprang into action. Through Ford Building Together, Ford Philanthropy, our local Ford dealers, and our trusted partners swiftly began coordinating relief. Here's a quick update on the ongoing efforts:
The Red Cross is moving funding quickly: Through our Ford Flex Fund, we're providing $75,000 to support the Venezuela Red Cross, which has already deployed assessment teams to the worst-affected areas and is mobilizing prepositioned relief supplies. This pathway gets funding to the ground as quickly as possible.
Ford Venezuela is supporting neighbors locally: Ford Venezuela donated $15,000 to DVC (Dividendo Voluntario para la Comunidad), helping deliver first aid kits, non-perishable food, water, medications, personal hygiene items, sleeping mats, and blankets to families who need them.
World Central Kitchen is serving hot meals in Caracas: Our partner World Central Kitchen is already deploying in Caracas and has secured a space in the city for meal distribution.
Team Rubicon is deploying a boots-on-the-ground medical response: Our partner Team Rubicon is deploying a Medical Advance Team in the coming days, with an operational focus on medical capability aligned with EMT Type 1 standards. To help their crews move where they're needed, Ford South America is loaning two vehicles for use on the ground.
How You Can Help: Every Ford employee can be part of this response. Join us in supporting families on the ground by donating to the Venezuela earthquake relief effort here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/venezuela-earthquate-brazilian-red-cross-aid/
We're proud to see our proactive model working as designed, bringing together funding, food, medical care, and mobility to get support where it's needed most. We'll continue to monitor and work with our partners to provide help as needed.