Donor Stories

On an ordinary Monday, Burtay was doing what he always did, working with data at his office, when news of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye appeared on his screen. Although he had no family in the affected region, he felt the weight of the tragedy and knew he wanted to help. Like millions of people […]

When Seray was nominated for homecoming queen, her mother threw a party.
She invited more than 50 people and prepared dozens of dishes, all before anyone knew whether Seray would win. When Seray asked what would happen if she didn’t win, wondering if all that preparation would be for nothing, her mother simply told her, “It doesn’t matter whether you win or not. You’re always a winner in my heart.” The outcome didn’t matter. Her daughter had already given her reason to celebrate.

Long before Kerim became a donor, he was a scholarship recipient.
As a student in Türkiye, he received various scholarships that opened doors and gave him opportunities he never forgot. Combined with the example set by his parents, who believed deeply in helping others and supporting education, that experience shaped a lifelong commitment to giving back. From an early age, Kerim learned that generosity was not simply about making donations. It was about creating opportunities for others to reach their full potential.

When Aykut arrived in San Francisco, he did not have a business plan or a clear roadmap for the future. Like many who leave home in search of opportunity, he arrived with ambition, curiosity, and the determination to build a better life, even though he did not yet know what shape that journey would take.

Vedat and Assia Eyüboğlu knew they wanted philanthropy to be an important part of their lives. They also knew that meaningful giving requires more than choosing a cause. They wanted to understand where their

Dr. Metin Taşkın’s journey began in Kavak, a small town nestled in the hills of northern Türkiye’s city of Samsun. Growing up in a close-knit community, he was surrounded by the love of his family and the..

Rıza Sarıoğlu was born in 1921 in Pazar, in the northeastern city of Rize on the Black Sea. He was one of eight children. He made his way to İstanbul to study at the only medical school..