Blankets, warm clothes and baby food were among the items donated by San Diego residents to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
More than $60,000 was raised since Friday.
“I know San Diego," said Imam Taha Hassan of the Islamic Center of San Diego. “Whenever there is a need, everyone gets motivated and they try to do something to help their brothers and sisters in humanity,” he added.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6th, killing more than 40,000 people. The death toll could still go up.
The center, which is located on Eckstrom Avenue, launched a donation drive last Monday, as news of the natural disaster broke. It even turned one of its rooms into a make-shift drop-off point to accommodate the growing pile of donations.
The campaign ended on Friday and the items have now been taken to a designated drop-off point in Long Beach, which was organized by the Turkish Consulate in L.A. The donations will be transported via Turkish Airlines to those in need.
Hassan said the whole county has pulled together, regardless of religion. “Not only Muslims”, he said, “We have people from our neighborhood, we have people from churches who contacted us. And even after we finished the campaign, people are still coming and people are texting and calling the office asking if there’s a possibility to bring their donations”.
Money raised for the survivors will go directly to reputable agencies who’re working to help people in the disaster zones.
