Jose Antonio Gallego Vazquez on Unsplash
Oakville residents have always rallied in times of humanitarian crises, and it’s not much different this time!
Several residents have mobilized efforts in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria on Feb.6, 2023, that killed more than 41,000 people and displaced millions.
Emre Ates shut down his electrical supply store on Speers Road last week to collect donations. A resident of Oakville, he used the help of his family and colleagues and stored the donated goods in his warehouse.
"In 1999, I have witnessed how an earthquake wreaked havoc in Istanbul. This time, I could not just watch the news and do nothing. I had to act!" Ates shared with Oakville News.
He was overwhelmed with the volume of goods received from residents. "We collected stuff that would fill up 12 full-size work vans," he added.
While some of the goods he collected have already been dispatched via Turkish Airlines, the rest are waiting in the warehouse to be loaded into subsequent flights.
"All the warehouses used for storage of in-kind donations are full now," he added.
Considering the scale of damage caused by the earthquake across Turkey, he thinks that in-kind supplies will be required for a long time now. On Feb 6. the Turkish Consulate General in Toronto released the following information for volunteers.
Turkish Consulate General in Toronto FB page
Berna Toprac Ulugbay, a Turkish Canadian and West Oak Trails resident, organized a donation drive at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex starting last Monday.
People can drop off blankets, sleeping bags and tents in transparent plastic bags at the donation bin in the complex on Neyagawa Boulevard in north Oakville. As the donation bin fills, the organizer will take the goods to a warehouse at 3063 Universal Drive in Mississauga.
"Getting permission from the town of Oakville for the drive was easy, and we expect lots of response considering the site will be busy on Family day," Ulugbay, a resident of Canada for almost 13 years, said.
If you are thinking of offering financial assistance, you can donate to several charities organizing emergency aid for Turkey and Syria, such as:
