Blanket Drive for Syrian Refugees a Great Success


Date posted: December 6, 2014

25,000 Blankets Collected and $100,000 in Donations Raised

The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), the American Turkish Friendship Association (AFTA) andEmbrace Relief are pleased to report the 2014 blanket drive to assist Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Turkey has been a great success.

Paxton Companies estimates 25,000 blankets have been donated (a more than 38% increase in the number of blankets over last year) and Embrace Relief reports $100,000 in funds have been donated to this cause. Over the past two years more than 40,000 blankets have been collected and $115,000 in funds has been donated. Donations raised for this program will help purchase blankets and supplies in Turkey for the refugees.

As of December 4, 34,340 pounds or 17 tons of blankets have been collected and boxed. Last year, 12 tons of blankets were collected and sent to refugees.

“Northern Virginia residents and businesses have once again risen to the challenge to help us provide humanitarian relief to those folks who have fled their homes due to the Civil War in Syria and the violence related to ISIL in the region,” said NVRC Executive Director Mark Gibb. “We are grateful for everyone’s support and that of our friends at Paxton and Maersk who are donating their services to truck and ship the blankets.”

This year there were more than 30 collection sites throughout Northern Virginia from Stafford County to Arlington. A dedicated web site was established www.helpsyrianrefugees.us to help publicize the blanket drive. In a 45-day period the web site had more than 8,000 views.

The blankets will be trucked down to Norfolk shortly for loading on a Maersk freighter which will depart Norfolk for the port city of Mersen, Turkey where the blankets will be off loaded and distributed to refugees in camps and in the community.

This year’s blanket drive campaign was co-chaired by Fairfax BOS Chairman Sharon Bulova, Arlington BOS Chairman Jay Fisette, Prince William BOS Chairman Corey Stewart, Loudoun BOS Chairman ScottYork and Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille.

Source: MAFTAA

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

Turkey Is No Longer a Reliable Ally

The U.S. and Turkey have faced difficult days before, such as after Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus and the 2003 American invasion of Iraq, yet American and Turkish leaders managed to find their way back. This time will be different. The failed coup was a clarifying moment. Ankara and Washington don’t share values or interests.

McGill University Prof: Turkish President Erdogan Wrong To Blame Man Of Prayer For Coup

For Gülen, a man of prayer, the Qur’an contains an ethic of citizenship. In the name of Islam, he advocates education, productivity, dialogue with the sciences and universal friendship. These are the values promoted by Hizmet, the Gülen Movement. While religiously based, Hizmet is an educational movement. It is obvious that the faith-based Hizmet has no affinity whatever with the secularism of the military clique that staged the recent revolt.

Islam, terrorism and the media

We unfortunately live in an unfair world. Injustice is so ubiquitous that we can categorize it based on our neighborhood, our city, our region, our country and the world. Any kind of injustice, discrimination or otherization — such as social injustice, class injustice, inequity in income distribution and a lack of equal opportunities in education, business and social mobility — may rear its ugly head at any moment in our daily life. Not only the cases of social injustice we encounter in our daily life, but also the sentiments of rage and revolt stemming from national or international injustice may trigger reactions that are against the nature of people who normally have psychological integrity.

Embrace Relief Worldwide Qurban (Feast of Sacrifice) Campaign

As part of their Hunger Relief program, Embrace Relief administers qurban organizations all over the world to bring joy to the table of people in need, while helping Muslims take care of their religious obligations. In 2015, qurban donations have been distributed amongst countries such as Bangladesh, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and the United States. This year, qurban donations will be distributed to those in need in the United States, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Monday Talk with Michael Rubin on Trump, Iran and Turkey

There is a rule-of-law in the United States and a process which the president simply does not have the power to short-circuit. If Gulen is turned over, however, I suspect relations will get worse because the extradition will convince Erdogan that blackmail and bluster work.

500 Food Packages to 500 Families

Waiting for Helping hands.Helping hands relief foundation and Turkish Cultural Center are cooperatively working to help the needy in upstate New York. Helping Hands Relief foundation will distribute food packages to more than 500 families from Myanmar, and Somalia to provide temporary relief during 2013.Each food packet contains about 10 pounds of food, and is […]

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Renowned Canadian professor lauds Honorable Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Gülen’s latest book launch celebrated at İstanbul forum

Turkish school graduates in Bosnia now teachers at alma maters

Kimse Yok Mu to launch 1000 “field schools” project in Africa

Turkish gov’t detains more than 70 women over their alleged financial support for jailed Gülen followers

Iqbal university to be set up in Lahore

Australian Relief Organisation awarded “Letter of Appreciation” by the Cambodian Ministry of Rural Development

Copyright 2022 Hizmet News