How to Help Earthquake Victims in Türkiye & Syria

“The Idaho District Export Council is working through our local U.S. Commercial Service office to provide financial and other assistance to earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.”

Amy Benson, Director of the U.S. Commercial Service office in Boise, received the following message from her counterparts in Turkey that contains information on how to help the victims of the recent earthquake in Türkiye/Syria.

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MESSAGE FROM USCS Türkiye

Greetings from Türkiye:

We are reaching out to you from the U.S. Commercial Service in Türkiye to share how you may help the recovery efforts in the wake of multiple large earthquakes in Southeast Türkiye and Northern Syria on February 6.  The earthquakes of magnitudes 7.7, 7.5, and 6.0 have left cities leveled, with thousands of lives lost and missing. More than 5,500 buildings have collapsed and more than 10,000 are in danger of collapsing. In coordination with the U.S. Department of State, which is coordinating assistance to the Turkish Government, we would like to share with you the following resources to contribute to Türkiye’s disaster recovery.

How can you help?

  1. You may wish to make a financial donation, which is the quickest and easiest way to get aid to those in need. There are many organizations working to collect donations, including the two listed below. **While we cannot formally endorse these organizations, we know them to be reputable and active in the disaster zones*.
    a. Red Crescent Türkiye: https://www.kizilay.org.tr/Bagis/BagisKategorisel/9/disaster-donations
    b. AKUT (Turkish non-governmental organization for disaster search and rescue relief): https://www.akut.org.tr/en/donation
  2. Alternatively, you may wish to donate consumer goods/materials/medication supplies.
    a. ONLY items listed in the linked announcement below are accepted at the Turkish Embassy in Washington or Turkish Consulates across the U.S. by mail or through in-person drop-off: http://washington.emb.mfa.gov.tr/Mission/ShowAnnouncement/400327
  3. Certain organizations in the disaster recovery field may wish to donate disaster relief technology, equipment, and/or services at scale.
    a. Please contact us at [email protected] and we will liaise with the Turkish government to determine the need and logistics.

Every hour counts at this point to save lives. Thank you for your help in advance.