US-based Turkish community collect $431,000 for disaster zone needs

Representatives of the Turkish-American community of the United States collected $ 431,000 live for container houses for victims of earthquakes in Türkiye.

The joint broadcast was conducted from the "Turkish House" in New York with the participation of representatives of Turkish diplomatic missions in the United States, NGO leaders, leading figures of the Turkish-American community and ordinary citizens, Anadolu reports.

The live broadcast, which was conducted by reporter Melike Ayan and musician Volkan Kirimlioglu, was broadcast on the social networks of the Turkish-American National Coordinating Committee (TASC) and the Amerikali Turkler (American Turks) news portal.

Turkish Ambassador to Washington Murat Mercan thanked the event's organisers in a live broadcast, which in general lasted more than eight hours.

"I hope the broadcast will help solve the problems of many of our citizens," the head of the diplomatic mission said.

Mercan noted that Turkish citizens in the United States have been actively participating in aid collection campaigns since the first days after the disaster.

"Thanks to such support, until today we have been able to collect and send to Türkiye more than 1,500 tonnes of food, clothing, tents and other basic necessities. Our citizens have really demonstrated great solidarity," he said.

According to the ambassador, a large volume of humanitarian cargo is still being delivered to the aid collection centers, including at the Consulates General of Türkiye.

The head of the diplomatic mission expressed special gratitude to the Ahiska Turks for their voluntary participation in the packaging and transportation of cargo.

The event was personally attended by the Consul General of Türkiye in New York, Reyhan Ozgur.

The head of the diplomatic mission noted that Turkish citizens in the United States contacted the Consulate General from the first hours after the earthquake, asked what they could do, and promptly consolidated efforts.

"Hundreds of our volunteers participated in charity for days, regardless of the time difference. I can say that after Europe, perhaps the largest amount of aid was sent from overseas", Ozgur noted.

The consul general added that about 130 tons of humanitarian cargo were sent to Türkiye from the United States by air, 420 tons by sea.

Another 700 tonnes of cargo, including from Chicago and Boston, will be sent to Türkiye in the near future, he added.

TASC Vice President and TASC TV editor-in-chief Gokhan Dogan told Anadolu that the organization has agreed with container manufacturers in Türkiye and all the funds raised will be used to provide housing for earthquake victims.