United in Donations: BTF's Earthquake Relief Fund Exceeds $10 Million

The BTF Bizim Türkiyemiz Relief Fund is dedicated to aiding disaster relief and long-term recovery initiatives in Türkiye during times of emergency. Since the devastating earthquake on February 6th, our organization has been tirelessly working to provide immediate support to the affected region. Our relief funds are allocated towards emergency supplies like temporary shelters, medical aid, staple foods, and warmth for those impacted by natural disasters. Additionally, we focus on rebuilding communities and infrastructure in the aftermath of such events. Our long-term earthquake relief projects aim to address the educational and healthcare needs of under-served children. We are actively constructing container classrooms, kindergartens, and full-scale schools in the region, while also offering scholarships and other services to children who have suffered losses. Project CATE (Child Amputees of Türkiye Earthquake) stands out as an initiative providing amputee children with orthopedic aids, physical therapy, psychological support, and long-term education.

A Nonprofit Movement for Global Turkish Community

Bridge to Turkiye Fund (BTF) distinguishes itself as a movement serving the Turkish community worldwide. We ensure that 100% of the donations go directly to those in need, as our volunteers contribute their time and efforts without any fees. We take charge of selecting, funding, and completing the projects, rather than merely investing funds and hoping for the best. Prior to the Turkish earthquake, our donations predominantly supported physical school equipment, scholarships, education, and health/trauma initiatives.

Global Unity in Donations: Statistics and Support
The recent disaster highlighted the unity of humanity, with approximately three-quarters of our donors residing in the United States. The remaining donations come from various countries worldwide. Over 50,000 individuals have contributed to BTF's earthquake relief efforts in 2023. This significant participation and trust have expanded our BTF Family on a global scale. Notably, a remarkable aspect of this campaign is the considerable number of non-Turkish donors compared to our previous initiatives. This demonstrates that people worldwide genuinely care for one another and empathize with the suffering of others. For instance, Chinese Americans in the Carolinas launched a crowdfunding campaign titled 'One World, One Human Race,' raising $25,000 for earthquake relief from grassroots donors in their community.

Keeping Donors Informed: Transparency and Communication
As a grassroots organization, BTF leadership directly responds to every donor's information requests. We also provide regular updates via email, social media, newsletters, and our website. By doing so, we ensure that our donors are well-informed about how their contributions are being utilized for ongoing relief and recovery efforts. Transparent communication with our donor base remains a fundamental value at BTF.

Fundraising Success and Utilization: Impactful Contributions
Generous donors have contributed an amount seven times greater than our average annual budget to support earthquake relief. The funding for the Bizim Türkiyemiz Relief Fund has exceeded $10,000,000. Under our 4-Phase Sustainability plan, we have utilized 40% of the funds thus far. In the initial phases of Recovery, we held daily decision meetings to efficiently disburse funds for immediate use. Currently, we are conducting weekly allocation meetings to determine the allocation of funds for our ongoing Phase 3 Rebuild programs.

A Global Village of Volunteers: United in the Face of Disaster
Defining the exact number of volunteers who contributed during the earthquake is challenging. People from all over the world expressed their desire to contribute, not only financially but also with their time. Our primary earthquake crowdfunding campaign alone had over 500 leaders, known as cause captains, fundraising collectively. Truly, it takes a village! This disaster has reaffirmed our belief that we are all part of one human family. Photos by Koray Kasap