South Florida volunteers continue preparing much-needed aid to be sent to Colombia earthquake victims

Donations are pouring in and South Florida organizations are working to get much-needed aid to Colombia after a powerful and deadly earthquake struck the South American nation on Monday.

Volunteers inside Doral-based Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) have been working to sort through supplies before they're loaded onto cargo planes and delivered to those who need it most.

GEM said it's looking for more volunteers to help, as well as cash donations and camping gear to help earthquake victims in Colombia.

And the volunteers are coming from all over the region to help, not just here in South Florida.

"We're out here helping Colombia, especially Cali. That's our city," volunteer Juan Caicedo said.

The volunteers are doing what they can to help. Cali is one of the cities in western Colombia that was hardest hit by the massive quake.

"We actually have donated," Caicedo continued. "We sent money to our families, to our friends. Obviously, it's easier for them to buy resources over there than us. But, we are here today. You know, we are going to help out packing. We actually have bought a lot of, you know, food, first-aid kits as well."

Carlos Jara was the first to drop off goods on Wednesday morning. He volunteered to help after the catastrophic earthquakes in Venezuela at the end of June.

"Venezuela or Colombia is brothers," he said. "Two countries is brothers."

But unlike Venezuela, Francine De La Rosa, with GEM, said they're working closely with the Colombian government – and cash is king.

"We want to buy supplies and goods in Colombia so that we can get them to the hands of the victims more quickly and more efficiently, and will then, of course, that also allows us to help the local economy," she said. "We need hands. There are a lot of supplies to be sorted. There are two warehouses where people can come out and volunteer, and there is still a lot of work to be done."

And if you can donate goods, camping gear is a top priority.

"That includes tarps, tents, blankets," she continued. "They all have to be new. First aid supplies and hygiene."

De La Rosa said aid flights could depart for Colombia on Wednesday.

"We know that there will be these types of disasters. We just don't know when or where, so we actually work 365 days a year to plan for this, and that's what allows us, you know, to be most effective when it comes to immediate response," De La Rosa said.

Check out the Global Empowerment Mission website for more information on donations they're seeking.