CARACAS: After her grandmother’s house in Caracas narrowly survived last month’s devastating back-to-back earthquakes, Alessandra Izaguirre was desperate to help Venezuela. “Seeing my grandma and all these people affected made me feel like I had to do something, even if it was from the US,” said the 18-year-old, who has spent the last couple weeks preparing food for volunteers at the Doral, Florida headquarters of the nonprofit Global Empowerment Mission.

Eighteen-year-old Alessandra Izaguirre is part of a massive grassroots effort to help Venezuela after devastating earthquakes.

Eighteen-year-old Alessandra Izaguirre is part of a massive grassroots effort to help Venezuela after devastating earthquakes