At the Füsun Sayek Community Center, the path to healing is yours to choose, as long as you have the will to begin. Surrounded by greenery by the river in Arsuz, The Füsun Sayek Community Center offers a safe space for all ages to find solace and peace, even in the wake of the earthquake.

What began as a tribute to Füsun Sayek, a pioneering Turkish doctor, and former president of the Turkish Medical Association, has blossomed into a vibrant institution. Born from a memorial event by family and friends, a week-long celebration of her legacy evolved quickly into a center for cultural events, workshops, sports activities and health screenings for the local community.  Today, the Füsun Sayek Foundation is dedicated to supporting children’s education, women empowerment, and public health initiatives in Arsuz. 

During the earthquake, Fusun Sayek Foundation’s original building collapsed. With TPF’s support, a new community center was built for women and children who needed safe spaces to heal, and rebuild their lives. Today, the center is alive with daily visitors, finding comfort in the simple yet powerful activities offered – whether it’s painting, reading, or sewing, there is something for everyone to hold onto, something that allows them to process their grief and find hope again. 

For the past year,  the doors of the Arsuz Community Center have remained open,all thanks to you.  It’s your support and kindness that enables TPF and the Füsun Sayek Association to heal our communities, one person at a time. 

Among these stories of extraordinary generosity stood Can Şengezer, General Manager of an Istanbul-based media agency. As he was looking for ways to help with the disaster’s aftermath from miles away, he came across Turkish Philanthropy Funds—a name he recognized but hadn’t interacted with before. A simple Google search relayed the information he was looking for: a highly trusted organization with the highest ratings from all charity evaluators and renowned for its swift and efficient disaster responses within Türkiye.

He reached out to TPF. But Can’s vision stretched far beyond a personal donation; he envisioned a ripple effect of empathy and action. Within hours, his team coordinated with his clients that specialized in billboard advertising in the United States. He contacted an old colleague, Altuğ Şimşek from Firefly—a next-gen car top advertising solution firm.

Together, they came up with a plan. They used billboards, ads on taxis, and even ads inside cars to spread the word, telling people how they could help the earthquake victims through TPF.

And it worked! What inspired them the most was the support they received not only from the Turkish American community but also from everyone. No questions asked, no profits calculated.

Their plan was a testament to the power of harnessing business networks for humanitarian outreach. Their message reached hundreds of millions of people—not just in one city, but all over the United States. People from NYC to Miami, Chicago to Phoenix, learned about what happened and how they could help.

Their story isn’t just about raising money; it’s about how kindness can transcend and bring us all together.

Among these stories of extraordinary generosity stood Can Şengezer, General Manager of an Istanbul-based media agency. As he was looking for ways to help with the disaster’s aftermath from miles away, he came across Turkish Philanthropy Funds—a name he recognized but hadn’t interacted with before. A simple Google search relayed the information he was looking for: a highly trusted organization with the highest ratings from all charity evaluators and renowned for its swift and efficient disaster responses within Türkiye.

He reached out to TPF. But Can’s vision stretched far beyond a personal donation; he envisioned a ripple effect of empathy and action. Within hours, his team coordinated with his clients that specialized in billboard advertising in the United States. He contacted an old colleague, Altuğ Şimşek from Firefly—a next-gen car top advertising solution firm.

Together, they came up with a plan. They used billboards, ads on taxis, and even ads inside cars to spread the word, telling people how they could help the earthquake victims through TPF.

And it worked! What inspired them the most was the support they received not only from the Turkish American community but also from everyone. No questions asked, no profits calculated.

Their plan was a testament to the power of harnessing business networks for humanitarian outreach. Their message reached hundreds of millions of people—not just in one city, but all over the United States. People from NYC to Miami, Chicago to Phoenix, learned about what happened and how they could help.

Their story isn’t just about raising money; it’s about how kindness can transcend and bring us all together.

You’ve heard us say it before, and you’ll hear us say it again: YOUR YEAR-END GIVING MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

But what does that actually mean? We’re so glad you asked. Read our recently published impact report to see how your donation turns into life-changing opportunities and long-term solutions that transform entire communities and impact more people than you know. Learn more about TPF partners below that make a difference every day on the ground, and please consider donating to their projects.

As we enter the last quarter of 2022, Turkish Philanthropy Funds would like to assist you with your year-end giving and grant-making with the best possible service. We encourage you to plan ahead to meet tax year deadlines that apply for giving in 2022. Learn more here. 

Thank you for being on this journey with TPF and our partners. With supporters like you along for the ride, we believe we can continue to make a difference in the lives of many.

HEALTH INNOVATIONS

There’s a plethora of TPF partners offering programs and services to all individuals with disabilities and special needs. Learn more by clicking the pictures below.

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

Whenever we learn about an environmental issue, as aspiring change-makers, the natural next question we may ask is: “What can I do to help?” The most effective way to help realize a more sustainable future is to also support environmental nonprofits. Read more about TPF partners working to ensure the Earth continues to nurture life in all its diversity by clicking the pictures below.

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

We at TPF work towards a vision of a world of true prosperity without poverty, inclusion, and integrity for all. Read more about our partners working to make a long-term impact, from poverty alleviation to youth empowerment in Türkiye, by clicking the pictures below.

GENDER EQUALITY

Gender inequalities are deeply rooted in attitudes, institutions, and market forces in our society. So closing the gender gap is about changing these norms and expectations about female and male roles, and ultimately changing power relations.

To close the gender gap, at TPF we invest in improving education for girls, removing constraints for more and better jobs for women, enhancing women’s presence in key decision-making, and engaging men and boys in all these through our partners in Türkiye. Learn more about their work by clicking the pictures below. We hope you show your support through your year-end gifts!

EQUALITY & EQUITY IN EDUCATION

As our partners across Türkiye work to address needs in our communities, from equality in education to social and economic development, we are proud to stand behind them and create long-term impact together, with the generosity of our donors making it possible.

TPF believes that education is a human right for all throughout life and that access must be matched by quality. We see the role of education in preparing the new generation for the journey ahead of them. We work with our partners to address our goals in advancing policy, building capacities of educators and trainers, empowering and mobilizing youth, investing in infrastructure, and closing the digital divide.

Today we invite you to learn more about our partners working to make a difference in education in Türkiye and their latest campaigns by clicking the pictures below and showing your support for our communities with your year-end gifts!

DISASTER RELIEF

In times of disaster, effective communication and coordination amongst various actors such as local officials, NGOs, companies, and volunteers are essential for effective relief and recovery efforts.

To solve this problem, TPF and Needs Map have teamed up to develop the “Disaster Response Map (Afet Haritasi)”, a  digital platform that can track all actors providing support in real-time,  to increase efficiency and minimize duplications in aid and action.

It Takes a Village

Giving Story of Ahmet Bozer

“I believe the universe has a way of lining up the right people for you to meet at the right time for the things you should be doing,” says Ahmet Bozer about his journey with philanthropy. He met Haldun Tashman and, consequently, TPF just at the right time. While he has always focused on philanthropy, after he retired from his role as Executive Vice President and President of Coca-Cola International, Ahmet intensified his focus. His giving philosophy has always brought the right ecosystems, people, and organizations together to make a difference. He is passionate about issues both in Turkey and in the U.S. “Both Turkey and the U.S. helped shape me personally and professionally. Therefore, when I think about giving back, I think about the needs of the people in both,” he says. He believes his involvement in TPF strengthened his hand to transform the lives of others both in Turkey and in the US while transforming his own life simultaneously. 

Since Ahmet Bozer opened a donor-advised fund at TPF in 2014 to do all his personal philanthropy both in Turkey and in the U.S., he has noticed a change in how he gives. “Working with TPF, I learned that there is a huge value to being a part of a philanthropic community,” Ahmet says. Besides looking for impactful programs to support individually, he has learned that he can leverage the giving of others with his gifts. In addition, TPF’s years of experience and connections on the ground gave him the assurance needed as a donor from the U.S. At the time of establishing his donor-advised fund at TPF, he did not feel he was as closely connected with the NGO community in Turkey as he would have liked. Yet, he has always had the drive to give to NGOs because he believes supporting the right NGOs creates more impact than helping individuals directly and has ripple effects beyond one’s imagination. TPF allowed him to better understand the NGO landscape in Turkey, and with that understanding, he was able to direct his contributions accordingly. He was pleased with what he learned was happening within these organizations. “Never lose hope in Turkey because there are incredible young men and women who work in great organizations tirelessly to make a difference,” he notes excitedly.  

Now, Ahmet approaches his every contribution with a question of “how can I leverage my connections and resources to give more to this cause.” When he first met KODA (Köy Okulları Değişim Ağı), which was established in 2016 by a community of teachers and volunteers with the hope of improving the quality of education in rural areas of Turkey, he started asking this same question to himself. In rural schools, resources are scarce. Social and cultural norms constrain education. And, most of the time, teachers lack the local and professional support they need. KODA works to change the resources provided for teachers in these areas. Rural areas and schools were already struggling for the resources and technology needed for education but started facing more significant challenges when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Ahmet Bozer believes that contributing to organizations that make a difference in the early years of an individual’s life can have a more significant impact. These children live in deprivation of quality education because of where they live – seeing that, Ahmet wanted to support KODA. He started to think of who he could bring together to leverage his giving to KODA. 

A conversation with TPF staff led to the launch of the “Support Rural Teachers” campaign. He generously offered a $25K matching gift. The campaign launched in December 2020 and within that month met and passed its goal of $50K. Funds raised went toward supporting 270 rural teachers from nine regions of Turkey (Harran, Suruç, and Siverek in Şanlıurfa, Siirt, Pervari, Malatya, Muş, Mardin, and Orhaneli in Bursa), and more than 20,000 village children. 

Ahmet believes that the power of giving can strengthen when it is a part of a philanthropic community such as TPF. His advice to those longing to give: “In reality, giving satisfies a higher need each one of us has. If we can recognize that need, then all we have to do is to make giving a part of how we live” He then continues, “Make philanthropy or supporting others a part of your life, because a part of your life is missing until you are doing it. You’re incomplete without it. The best thing you can do is make giving back a part of your life.”

In 2018 a small group of professionals at Microsoft came together to discuss the idea of creating a Giving Circle among the Turkish-American community. They wanted to establish a collaborative effort in which they could work together, gather contributions, educate members about the power of collective philanthropy, and provide opportunities for hands-on involvement in awarding grants and making social investments. Seattle Giving Circle, a Fund of TPF, was formed with this mission in mind. Over the years, the circle has grown into a group where members share ideas and bond over similar interests. Their driving force is the same: using their good fortune to benefit thousands of others who are not as fortunate and establishing a habit of giving among Turkish-Americans.

Circle members have different motivations for joining. For some, it is a culture they have learned from their families. In many of their homes, they watched their parents and grandparents offer what they could, whether material or emotional support, to others in need. Irem Aydin always felt fortunate for the love and support she and her siblings received and the values they were taught. “My parents provided me with the roots and fundamental base to give more and be more open. Practicing love is very important, and they taught us to have a strong work ethic and drive. Personally, I believe working hard and giving go hand in hand. If you don’t have the work ethic and drive to do more, you can’t give. There is a strong bond between work ethic and giving, in my opinion.” But it was not until she moved to the U.S. for her master’s degree at Michigan State University that she learned the word “philanthropy” and how she can give back. Burcu Nemutlu has the same kind of upbringing, where her parents – both teachers – were very involved in charity events. As she watched them give back to the community and the students in need, she held onto the hope that she would, in turn, be able to give back and help others in the future. Her desires came true with her introduction to the Seattle Giving Circle.

Circle members’ drive to give back comes from their personal experiences. In her final year at MSU, Irem Aydin couldn’t secure a graduate assistantship role and faced financial hardship until she landed a scholarship after several applications. Since then, Irem knew she wanted to help others who have come to the U.S. with an assistantship or a scholarship. She notes, “sometimes those funds are not enough, and then you struggle to make ends meet and lose focus on your studies. I don’t want students to be deterred because of finances… I want them to have the support they need to rise up.” For Burcu Nemutlu, her desire to give back amplified once she became a mother. “I want to help the children who are less fortunate succeed and reach their goals in life.” The importance of education was always something Burcu was aware of. “My passion for giving is education, especially for girls education and girls in STEM. I would like to see more students, especially girls, complete their education. Perhaps, this is because my parents were teachers; that is even more important to me because I have seen what quality education can do for the development of a child.” Sehribani Oktay was also driven by her personal experience growing up. “The experience when you’re a kid is the most influential. Whatever you learn and are provided as a kid sets you up for your life. Coming from a low-income family, my life changed when I had success on an exam and was able to go to a better school. The connections I made changed my perspective and outlook for life.” And now, as a mother, she sees a chance to not only give these opportunities to her own children but to as many children as possible in Turkey. Microsoft’s giving culture definitely influenced many of the circle members. TPF’s open platform, combined with the encouraging philanthropic culture at Microsoft along with the matching gifts, turned Seattle Circle into a big success. “I am grateful to TPF for the guidance and support they provided during the partnership onboarding, which in turn made it possible for me to collect more with Seattle Circle’s match and invest in kids’ education in Turkey. TPF connects people to the causes that they care about and provides a great bridge that gives us the ability to give to areas that are meaningful for us back home in Turkey,” notes Burcu Nemutlu.

This network of eager philanthropists came together to give back to their homeland and built a philanthropic bond not only with each other but also with Turkish Philanthropy Funds. They aim to leverage collective resources to encourage philanthropy and community service among Turkish-Americans in Seattle. Many of the members came to know one another by working at Microsoft and asking where and how others give, which introduced them to TPF. Via the power of cooperative giving, members can pool their financial contributions to support meaningful and lasting solutions in Turkey. The group welcomes and encourages anyone to support the collective effort. Irem Aydin says, “TPF is open to different ideas. There are so many organizations to support, and I feel accepted with my ideas of where I want to support and how to go about it.” The community’s fabric is diverse, and the giving circle enables giving to various programs to drive solutions.

The Journey of Education
A Giving Story of Lale and Tunç Doluca

Through the years, the Doluca family has given to many organizations in the U.S. and Turkey. As their success grew, Lale and Tunç discussed how to use their good fortune to benefit others, especially in their native country where they were born and raised. They were the most passionate about supporting education, providing shelter, and fighting against hunger. Defining their focus helped lead their decision: they wanted to have a lasting impact on the lives of children and families in Turkey.

Yet, they didn’t know exactly which organization to support and where to support their search. During an annual visit to his company’s office in Istanbul, Tunç was introduced to Darüşşafaka Society. The organization seemed like a perfect fit since it supported children’s education from a younger age.

Reflecting on the importance of their younger years and the influence of those years on their success, Dolucas believed Darüşşafaka Society was the right organization. “The first ten years of our education is where we all acquire our habits and develop our passions, and our characters are molded. Those are the really critical years if you think about yourself or if you think about others and you can see that”. Lale and Tunç believed they were fortunate enough to have parents that supported them and helped them through their early years. However, many children, who are very smart and have so much potential, do not have that support in those critical years due to extreme poverty or the loss of a family member. These circumstances can have a high impact on children and their future. Yet, with organizations like Darüşşafaka Society, these children are provided an opportunity to have a quality education that will lead them to follow their dreams. Tunç also felt a greater sense of confidence in the organization, as a classmate of his from college, Bülent, was a Darüşşafaka graduate. He saw how successful, driven, and caring Bülent was throughout the years.

Slowly, the Dolucas began to bond with the Darüşşafaka Society and supported them annually through their DAF at TPF. Their impact grew when they strengthened that bond with a partnership with Turkish Philanthropy Funds.

During the summer of 2020, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Dolucas became aware of the impact the pandemic had on students in Turkey. Their friend who introduced them to Darüşşafaka reached out and expressed how the needs of Darüşşafaka have grown greater. Education was truly remote for some but not for all since some students didn’t have access to tools such as computers and the internet. There was a significant gap in solutions for youth. Yet, there was a lack of donations. Dolucas decided that they would like to bridge that gap, but they knew they needed others to join them.

Lale and Tunç have worked with TPF through the years, and Tunç Doluca has held onto what Haldun Tashman told him years ago, “If you are going to give back, it is better to do it when you’re alive instead of through your will because not only will you get a head start on giving, but you will be able to see the impact of your gifts, and that will make you feel good.” This approach became the center of their philanthropy. This drive, combined with their trust in TPF, made them reach out to Turkish Philanthropy Funds to discuss how they could increase their impact on the Darüşşafaka Society. “We thought Turkish Philanthropy Funds has the organizational skills, capabilities, and ability for our donation to grow through their reach and wide network,” notes Tunç Doluca. “We also knew that getting a tax deduction for contributions to Darüşşafaka through TPF would be a bonus for many donors.”

Dolucas learned that they could amplify their support by turning their contribution into a matching gift campaign. They immediately were attracted to the idea, and the TPF team worked to put together a year-end campaign with Darüşşafaka Society. The campaign launched in October of 2020 and successfully met and exceeded its goal by December 31st, 2020. The campaign, “Join the Journey of Children’s Education with Darüşşafaka Society” with the generous matching gift of $250,000 from Lale and Tunç Doluca raised over $506,000.

Lale and Tunç Doluca now feel they can look back and see that they have lived up to the words of Haldun Tashman. They can see the impact their giving has made, which provides them with a great sense of joy.

Thanks to your contributions we are able to make great impacts in the lives of many across Turkey. Please join Turkish Philanthropy Funds once again to support the wonderful work our partners are doing on the ground.

Thank You for Your Continued Support to TPF & TPF Partners!

SUPPORT YGA

SUPPORT KODA

SUPPORT MAYA

SUPPORT CEMRE FUND

SUPPORT ILKYAR

DONATE NOW

Turkey Deep Poverty Fund

Although Turkey has made great strides in poverty alleviation over the last 20 years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent developments in the Turkish economy threaten to reverse years of progress in the fight against poverty and income inequality. The current state jeopardizes the future of a generation of children.

Poverty is often discussed in terms of dollar amount, yet quality of life should be at the center of the conversation. Living in poverty means a life of struggle and deprivation. It means no job, limited shelter, and often little to no food on the table. It entails not being able to afford a doctor or medical treatment. For young children, it means malnutrition that permanently impacts mental and physical development and lack of access to a quality education because parents cannot afford school fees or because impoverished families need their children to work. 

TPF works with partners on the ground to deal with this multi-layered prevalent problem. All donations to this fund will support efforts to address and eliminate extreme poverty in Turkey. Your donations will go to TPF vetted nonprofits such as Cemre Fund and Derin Yoksulluk Ağı to provide food, shelter, job training, cash assistance, and educational support. 

Challenge

The poverty rate in Turkey more than halved between 2002 and 2015, and extreme poverty fell even greater. However, COVID-19 has driven an additional 1.6 million people into extreme poverty in 2020. When you add the 4 million refugees currently residing in the country that rely on the informal sector, the need becomes even direr. Almost two years into the pandemic, we still don’t know how it has impacted poverty in 2021.

Retail, accommodation and food, transport and construction sectors, where low-income households comprise a significant workforce, are hit hardest. Loss of employment and income are the main transmission mechanisms of the crisis for low-income households. The income gap between the richest 5% and the poorest 5% of the population widened by 7 points in 2020, with the former earning 30 times more than the latter. Although the full extent of the crisis is still unknown and subject to considerable uncertainty, there is a real risk of a significant setback in the fight against poverty.

Solution

All donations to this fund will support efforts addressing extreme poverty in Turkey. We monitor the impact on affected communities and work with partners to allocate funds. As TPF we are happy to take part in the fight against extreme poverty in Turkey along with other global leaders as part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

How Your Donation Will Be Used?

When you donate to TPF’s Deep Poverty Fund, your donation will be used to:

• Provide food and cash support to people 
• Transition people into a sustainable livelihood

TPF will post reports about how funds have been used and email these reports to donors.

Trusted and Reliable

We are committed to transparency and low overhead. You can read our audit reports here.

TPF quickly delivers funds to its eligible partners on the ground that are best suited to provide support. Our relief funds have been recommended by many international organizations as well as local Turkish-American organizations.

TPF’s Track Record in Relief

TPF has been responding to disasters and supporting emergency aid and long-term relief programs since 2011. We have facilitated more than $2M in donations to relief funds just like this one.

See how we’ve responded to similar disasters like this, including:

• Van Earthquake Relief Fund in 2011
• Soma Relief Fund
• Elazig Earthquake Relief Fund in 2020
• Covid-19 Relief Fund
• Izmir Earthquake Relief Fund
• 2021 Wild Fires Relief Fund

The grant application is now open! To apply, please fill out this form.

Grants from this special purpose will support nonprofit organizations assisting individuals living in extreme poverty. The grant guidelines are subject to change in order to be flexible and responsive to needs as they arise.

Grant Criteria:

Target population. The extremely poor are the people in the bottom half of those living below nationally defined poverty lines. At the global level, the extreme poor are generally understood for an upper-middle-income country like Turkey to be living on less than $5.50 per day. This population tends to be food insecure, have poor health, lack education, own few or no assets of even a non-durable nature (e.g., livestock), have limited livelihood prospects, and be socially isolated.

At this time, grants from the fund will be considered for the following types of activities.

Increase Food Consumption

The top priority is to increase household food consumption. This prioritization holds promise for breaking the seemingly intractable, multi-generational nature of extreme poverty since child malnutrition in particular causes serious problems such as lower IQ, stunting, and mineral deficiencies, which adversely affect the development of both the individual and thus society.

Funds will be provided to organizations providing direct food and cash support. 

Sustainable Livelihood

Once the consumption needs have been sufficiently addressed, to move individuals to a sustainable livelihood, the following activities can be supported:

1. Support in saving money 
2. Technical skills training 
3. Asset transfers (generally in-kind assets such as livestock),
4. Intensive life skills coaching.
5. Psychotherapy

Grant Awards

Grants are expected to range between $1,000 to $10,000. We expect the needs to exceed the available funds. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis while funds are available as this fund is intended to be responsive to the community’s ongoing needs. Applications will be reviewed by TPF staff for approval by the Board of Directors. Grantmaking decisions will typically be made within two to four weeks of receipt of the proposal.

Eligibility

Grants are open to TPF approved partners in Turkey. Afet Platformu members who have not yet approved partners of TPF are encouraged to apply. 

Businesses and individuals are not eligible for application.

SUPPORT TPF'S TURKEY DEEP POVERTY FUND

The first $5,000 of your donation will be matched by a donor by December 31st, 2021!

We have a dream of a village, which is not far away and not a village we never visit. This village is near, open to everyone, and that we are always there.

For 19 years ILKYAR has been organizing week-long Summer Science Schools for children from different villages all around Turkey. During a week, around 150 7th graders and 40 teachers participate in these schools. We have observed that after children’s participation their motivation increase and their perspectives develop dramatically. 

Our aim is to keep this school open all year round and hence establish a village of science and arts not only for 7th-grade students but for all young people and adults. 

FOR WHOM?

• It is for everyone who wants to learn, produce, engage, and contribute regardless of their age.

A VILLAGE OF SCIENCE AND ARTS is where children play, climb trees, who are covered with mud, and are not afraid of getting dirty. It is a place where there are classes, laboratories, seminar rooms, libraries, workshop studios.

WHAT FOR?

• To encourage children and young people to love science, reading, learning, producing, sharing, and being curious at all times.
• To support them to stand on their feet for a brighter future.

We have almost come to the end of our search to find a property to establish this school, which will be near Ankara. We are planning to accommodate students and teachers of the summer science school alongside college students who cannot find a place to live in Ankara.

In addition, the students of Summer Science School will participate in activities at universities in Ankara to raise their awareness. The village will be established on 40 acres of land of which 11 000 m2 will be the construction site and there will be dormitories, guest rooms, a cafeteria, rooms for workshops, classrooms, laboratories, conference rooms, a library, a museum, indoor-outdoor sports areas, a barn, a poultry house, gardens, and more.

SUPPORT ILKYAR'S VILLAGE OF SCIENCE AND ARTS