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Standing with Venezuela: How Our Industry Can Help Right Now
By Stephen A. Crystal, Founder & CEO, SCCG Management
June 27, 2026
On the evening of June 24, two earthquakes struck Venezuela 39 seconds apart. The first measured 7.2 magnitude. The second, 7.5. They were the strongest to hit the country in over a century.
In the hours and days since, the numbers have continued to climb. Hundreds of lives lost. Thousands injured. Families separated. Homes destroyed. Hospitals damaged. An entire country shaken to its core.
I have spent years working alongside people in Venezuela who believe deeply in their country’s future. People who are building something. Regulators, entrepreneurs, partners, friends. These are not abstract statistics. These are people I know. People who right now are checking on their families, searching through rubble, and trying to figure out what comes next.
This is one of those moments when our industry has an opportunity to show what it is made of. We are a global community. We gather in cities around the world, we build businesses across borders, and we talk constantly about the power of connection. Now is the time to prove it means something.
I am asking everyone in our network, our partners, our clients, our colleagues, our competitors, to do something today. Even a small contribution makes a difference when it reaches the right hands.
Below are established, reputable organizations that are already on the ground in Venezuela delivering emergency relief. Every one of them has a track record of disaster response and transparent use of funds.
Where to Give
International Federation of Red Cross / Venezuelan Red Cross
The Venezuelan Red Cross has been responding since the first minutes after the quakes, even as their own national headquarters in Caracas sustained critical damage. Staff and volunteers are working in hospitals, distributing supplies, and supporting search and rescue. The IFRC has activated its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund.
https://www.ifrc.org/press-release/venezuela-red-cross-responds-needs-emerge-aftermath-powerful-back-back-earthquakes
GlobalGiving Venezuela Earthquake Relief Fund
GlobalGiving channels donations directly to trusted local organizations on the ground. They have a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and have been recommended by the U.S. State Department, the Associated Press, and NPR. Your donation funds emergency shelter, medical care, food, clean water, and long-term recovery.
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/venezuela-earthquake-relief-fund/
Direct Relief
Direct Relief is mobilizing medical aid including wound care supplies, surgical materials, antibiotics, and field medic packs for first responders and search and rescue crews. 100% of donations go directly to earthquake response efforts in Venezuela.
https://www.directrelief.org/2026/06/venezuela-earthquake-caracas-damage/
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
The IRC has been operating in Venezuela and is scaling up health, nutrition, water and sanitation, protection, and education services for survivors. They have over 90 years of disaster response experience and consistently earn top marks from charity watchdog groups.
https://www.rescue.org/article/how-help-survivors-earthquakes-venezuela
International Medical Corps
International Medical Corps has worked in Venezuela since 2019 and immediately deployed its in-country team. Every $1 donated unlocks an additional $30 in institutional grants, donated medicines, and supplies. They are providing emergency medical care and psychosocial support.
https://internationalmedicalcorps.org/emergency-response/venezuela-earthquakes/
UNICEF
UNICEF is focused on protecting children and families, who are among the most vulnerable in any disaster. Children who have lost homes, schools, and the stability of their daily lives need immediate support. A supply flight from UNICEF’s global hub in Copenhagen carrying 48 metric tons of medical equipment and water supplies is expected to reach Venezuela on June 29.
https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/venezuela-earthquakes-children-need-help-now
UN Crisis Relief / Venezuela Humanitarian Fund
The United Nations Venezuela Humanitarian Fund provides life-saving aid, healthcare, safe water, education, and livelihoods through coordinated local partners. Before the earthquake, 7.9 million people in Venezuela already needed humanitarian assistance.
https://crisisrelief.un.org/en/donate-venezuela-crisis
Updates From These Organizations on X
Verified updates from the relief organizations listed above, posted directly from their official accounts as the response unfolds:
A Note on Giving Safely
If you receive donation requests from unfamiliar sources through social media, text, or email, go directly to the organization’s official website rather than clicking the link. The FTC has already warned about donation scams related to the Venezuela earthquakes. The organizations listed above have been verified and link directly to their official pages.
What Comes Next
Earlier this week, we announced the postponement of the Venezuela Gaming Expo to early 2027. That decision was simple. When your partners and friends are hurting, you give them room. You let them focus on what matters.
But postponing an event is the easy part. What matters now is what we do with this moment. Our industry generates billions of dollars in revenue worldwide. We have the reach, the resources, and the relationships to make a real difference. Not next month. Today.
I am personally committing to supporting these relief efforts and I am asking you to join me. Share this article. Pick one of the organizations above. Give what you can. And if you are in a position to rally your company, your team, or your network around this cause, please do it.
Venezuela has shown the world resilience time and again. The people will rebuild. And when they do, we will be there, ready to stand beside them.
With respect, solidarity, and optimism.
Stephen A. Crystal
Founder & CEO, SCCG Management
