100,000 blankets campaign by Turkish-American groups in US media

Former Purcellville mayor Robert W. Lazaro and Loudoun Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott K. York (center background, both in glasses) at a refugee camp in Turkey, handing out blankets collected last fall. (Courtesy of Northern Virginia Regional Commission)
Former Purcellville mayor Robert W. Lazaro and Loudoun Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott K. York (center background, both in glasses) at a refugee camp in Turkey, handing out blankets collected last fall. (Courtesy of Northern Virginia Regional Commission)


Date posted: November 10, 2014

A group of civil society groups, including Turkish-American charity organizations, and local officials in Northern Virginia have collected 100,000 blankets for Syrian refugees in Turkey as winter is fast approaching, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

The Cihan news agency, which quoted from The Washington Post, reported that Embrace Relief, a sister charity organization of Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), along with the American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) and a number of municipalities in Northern Virginia collected blanket donations for Syrians in refugee camps in Turkey’s border provinces.

“Officials in Loudoun and Fairfax counties organized the first blanket drive last year after several local politicians, including Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott K. York and former Purcellville mayor Robert W. Lazaro, visited a refugee camp in Turkey and said that they were profoundly affected by what they saw: Thousands of Syrian refugees, many of them children, all crowded together in a sea of small tents,” The Washington Post wrote.

The report by Cihan also emphasized that the mayors decided to kick off such an initiative after they paid a visit to several refugee camps in Adana province last year and meeting with representatives of Kimse Yok Mu.

The Washington Post noted that the same charity groups and local officials had started a similar campaign last year and collected 18,000 blankets for the refugees.

Source: Cihan , November 7, 2014


Related News

Abrupt gov’t decision to revoke status of Kimse Yok Mu draws criticism

Turkey’s leading charity, Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), had its right to collect charitable donations abruptly rescinded on Tuesday, in what seems to be an arbitrary decision made during a Cabinet meeting, prompting harsh reactions from volunteers, lawmakers of the opposition parties and representatives of other civil society groups.

Kimse Yok Mu continues relief efforts in Gaza

International nonprofit Kimse Yok Mu continues its humanitarian aid campaign in Gaza which was hit severely by floods.

Turkish Charities accelerate Ramadan aid efforts worldwide

Kimse Yok Mu has raised its Turkey target for this Ramadan and will distribute 178,300 food packages and set up iftar tents in 22 provinces in a bid to feed an estimated 636,000 people. Outside of Turkey the foundation intends to distribute 110,000 food packages to families in need in 103 countries and offer iftar meals to 500,000 people around the world.

“Time to Help” launched in England

Time to Help, Kimse Yok Mu Foundation affiliate in Europe, has launched its office in England. The foundation’s officials introduced their proposed projects at a recent publicity event.

Turkey cooperating with Israel to help Gaza

Diplomatic sources confirmed that an official from the Turkish Red Crescent went to Israel to coordinate humanitarian aid to be sent to Gaza. “There is no other way to provide aid to Gaza,” said the sources on Thursday. Dismissing claims that the Turkish official will be negotiating a cease-fire between Israel and Gaza, sources said Turkey is only in contact with the officials from Hamas and the US regarding the Palestinian territory.

Kimse Yok Mu’s free eye surgeries project inaugurated in Pakistan

Country Director Turkish Non Governmental Organization Kimse Yok MU Ozcan Inan along with Chairman REDO Sultan Hassan inaugurated a welfare project for deserving patients at Rawalpindi Eye Donors Organization’s Medical Complex

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

66,000 students relocated after Turkish government shut down 15 universities over coup charges

Misreading Turkey’s Twitter Controversy

Putting Foolish Labels: “Gulen Charter Schools”

Indonesian authorities request 100 more Turkish schools

Gülen Community and Gülen’s Reminder

Turkish editor hits out at media coercion under Erdoğan

Education Association Defends Zaman University

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News