They Survived the Earthquake. Now They Need to Eat.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 11, 2026
CALI, COLOMBIA. At 7:34 a.m. on August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó. It was the strongest earthquake the country has felt in more than a decade.
The first official government report confirms at least 111 people dead, 87 injured, 1,575 homes damaged and 61 buildings collapsed. The heaviest destruction is in Pereira, Manizales, Cali and Quibdó. An estimated 1.5 million people felt shaking strong enough to bring buildings down.
The Second Emergency
There is a second emergency behind those numbers, and it will not make the headlines. Thousands of families who survived are now living outdoors. No stove. No refrigerator. No clean water. No money. The large international agencies will arrive in two or three weeks. Those families need to eat tomorrow morning.
This is what Food Yoga does
We serve 1.5 million hot plant-based meals every day across 63 countries, and we have been feeding people through disasters for 28 years. We are not building a response from scratch. Our kitchens, our teams and our distribution network already exist in Colombia. They are moving right now toward Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó.
Our Volunteers Were Already on the Ground
Our Food for Life team in Cali did not need to be deployed. They were already serving. Led by local volunteer coordinator Dharmaraja, the Cali team has been running free food distributions twice a month for years, most recently on Saturday, August 8, just two days before the earthquake struck.
“Now, because of the earthquake, we want to serve much more frequently,” Dharmaraja reported. “Tomorrow we go out again to help those affected by the disaster.”
Within 24 hours of the quake, volunteers were preparing and delivering fresh, hot plant-based meals to survivors, displaced families, and rescue workers in the hardest-hit neighborhoods.
What Your Donation Buys
- $3 buys one hot meal, cooked and delivered
- $60 feeds a family of four for five days
- $300 feeds one city for a full day
Every dollar goes further in Colombia, where fresh local ingredients and volunteer labor mean your gift is multiplied many times over.
🚨 Donate Now and Help Us Feed Earthquake Survivors
Families in Pereira, Manizales, Cali and Quibdó are sleeping outdoors, afraid of aftershocks, with no access to cooked food. Our volunteers are ready to serve them today. $3 feeds one person.
👉 Donate to the Colombia Earthquake Relief Fund
100% of designated earthquake-relief donations fund meal preparation and distribution on the ground in Colombia.
Food Yoga International (formerly Food for Life Global) is the world’s largest plant-based food relief network, serving 1.5 million meals daily through affiliate projects in 63 countries. To date, our network has served over 8 billion free meals. Learn more at ffl.org.
Media contact: Paul Rodney Turner, Founder. [email protected]
FAQ
Q: When and where did the earthquake described in the article occur?
A: A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia at 7:34 a.m. on August 10, 2026. Its epicenter was reported in San José del Palmar, Chocó, with major destruction in Pereira, Manizales, Cali, and Quibdó.
Q: How many deaths, injuries, and damaged buildings were reported after the earthquake?
A: The first official government report cited at least 111 deaths, 87 injuries, 1,575 damaged homes, and 61 collapsed buildings. An estimated 1.5 million people experienced shaking strong enough to bring buildings down.
Q: How is Food Yoga International responding to the Colombia earthquake?
A: Food Yoga International is preparing and delivering fresh, hot plant-based meals to earthquake survivors, displaced families, and rescue workers. Its existing kitchens, volunteers, and distribution network in Colombia are supporting relief efforts in Pereira, Manizales, Cali, and Quibdó.
Q: When did Food for Life volunteers in Cali begin increased meal distributions?
A: The Cali team was already providing free food distributions twice a month before the earthquake, most recently on August 8, 2026. Within 24 hours of the disaster, volunteers began preparing and delivering meals more frequently to affected communities.
Q: What does a donation to the Colombia Earthquake Relief Fund provide?
A: According to the post, a $3 donation provides one hot meal, while $60 can feed a family of four for five days. A $300 donation is described as funding meals for one city for a full day, with designated earthquake-relief donations supporting meal preparation and distribution in Colombia.
