Jalapeño's Founder Jheovanny Gomez Fundraising for Columbia Aid

Jheovanny Gomez, the Colombia-born co-owner of Tuscaloosa's Jalapeño's Mexican Grill restaurants, has launched a fundraiser to support disaster relief in his home country following a major earthquake.

Gomez, who came to the United States in 1999 and built the Jalapeño's brand into four locations across Tuscaloosa County alongside business partner Justin Grimball, said a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that devastated communities in Colombia on Monday killed hundreds and left thousands homeless. A few hundred people are still missing.

Gomez said all of his family members in Colombia have been accounted for and are safe, but many others from his home city have not been as fortunate.

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The beloved restaurateur said he and his wife, Johana, plan to travel to Colombia in the coming weeks to personally purchase and deliver disaster relief supplies to those affected.

"I feel compelled, and even obligated, to do something to help," Gomez wrote on the GoFundMe page for the effort. "I will never take for granted how blessed I am or how grateful I am for the way my community here in the United States has embraced me and has always supported me and my family. Now, I feel a responsibility to step up and do whatever I can for the people of Colombia.

As the Thread has previously reported, Gomez opened the first Jalapeño's in downtown Tuscaloosa's Temerson Square in 2001 and has since expanded the brand to four locations, along with the Tequila Room, a tequila bar he and Grimball opened next to their downtown restaurant in 2024.

Gomez has also served in long-term leadership roles with organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, United Way and the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.

The fundraiser has a goal of $15,000. As of this writing, it has raised more than $9,000 from 73 donors.

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