AWMH Donates $250,000 to Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen Following the 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Turkey
On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, followed mere hours later by a 7.5 earthquake, leaving the region with entire towns and cities reduced to piles of concrete. The human toll is devastating, as more than 36,000 people have been killed; tragically, that number is expected to rise in the coming days. And the estimated financial damage exceeds $84 billion in Turkey alone. All Within My Hands has granted $125,000 each to Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen; both organizations have had boots on the ground providing hands-on aid since the day after the quakes hit.
Direct Relief is actively responding to the crisis through its network of regional healthcare partners. The organization is fulfilling requests for medical supplies – with over 22 tons already allocated - such as emergency medical packs, antibiotics, cardiovascular medicines, analgesics, personal hygiene kits, oral rehydration salts, acetaminophen, prenatal vitamins, and more. Mobilizing these urgent deliveries follows the organization’s immediate response of providing financial support for search and rescue efforts to AKUT (Turkish Search & Rescue Team).
World Central Kitchen activated its meal distribution channels within hours of the news breaking, with founder José Andrés personally delivering sandwiches to a shelter. The organization set up a large-scale response that establishes and utilizes its own kitchens. While it is unable to use the local culinary infrastructure, WCK is providing support by funding local businesses directly and employing local chefs. The organization is currently distributing over 125,000 meals per day, totaling over 600,000 meals within one week.
Both Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen are long-time partners of All Within My Hands. We remain committed to supporting both organizations because of their ability to reach the source of destruction and provide aid to the affected communities and individuals. We hope you will join us in our support as they provide much-needed assistance to our brothers and sisters in this part of the world.
