Give Today 
How to Help Victims of Earthquakes in Turkey & Syria
On Feb. 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern and central Turkey, as well as northern and western Syria, causing widespread damage and tens of thousands of fatalities. It was Turkey’s strongest earthquake since 1939 and the country’s deadliest since 1268. The earthquake is estimated to have caused $84.1 billion in damage.
Several organizations are on the ground to assist Turkish and Syrian residents as they begin the recovery process. Local community members that are eager to help the recovery efforts assisting the earthquake’s victims may be interested in supporting one or more of the nonprofits delivering aid listed here. The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana provides this list as a starting point for those wishing to learn more about how to assist and has verified that each organization listed here is a U.S. 501c3 public charity.
We will continue to update this list as we learn more in the coming days.
WaterStep (In Partnership with SOS, Love the Hungry, and UPS)
WaterStep is partnering with three local organizations – SOS International, Love the Hungry, and UPS – to send additional aid to Turkey. Approximately 80 BleachMakers (which will impact around 200,000 people), 70,000 meals, and 200,000 medical supplies left Louisville on Feb. 16 and will arrive in Turkey early Saturday morning to provide much-needed aid to Turkish and Syrian people. The organizations will continue to deploy equipment to minimize pain and suffering due to unsanitary conditions and unsafe water, as well as continue to provide large aid packages as they become available.
To donate to WaterStep’s Disaster Relief Fund, please click here.
To donate to the SOS International Disaster Relief Fund, please click here.
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent and Turkish Red Crescent have been working around the clock to support affected communities. Roughly 10,000 volunteers have been deployed with stocks of food and basic aid items to support those injured and evacuated. To support the earthquake response through the American Red Cross, you can mail-in your donation by clicking here – please be sure to write “Turkiye (Turkey) earthquake” in the memo line of a check, or online by clicking here.
Save the Children response teams are coordinating with local partners on the ground, including Turkish Red Crescent and Support to Life, to distribute tents, hygiene kits, clothing, heaters, blankets, and other essential items. In Syria, the organization is working to distribute tents and winterization kits, as well as provide health centers much-needed fuel.
To donate to the Children’s Emergency Fund, please click here.