I think that many people who help a charity organisation want to change the world... at least slightly... at least making someone's life slightly better.
I believe in the power of good education, that develops your skills and creates interest in the subjects you are studying. Bridge To Turkiye is helping schools by providing them with new books and other materials for classes. The organisation also gives scholarships for gifted but poor students.
What makes this organisation special? When you are not rich and cannot give huge sums of money, it is always important to see that even a small donation matters and to see the direct result of your donation. Bridge To Turkiye has a Map4Good. On this map, you can see the schools and their needs (books, science sets, shoes & boots for kids, etc.), choose which school and which project you want to help, and donate.
I chose the project Books4Kids (Elementary) and a small school with 50 students at the Southern part of Turkiye. I read about the school and watched the photos. I was giving to this school little by little till they got the required sum. Some time after, I got the letter with the photos of happy children and (even happier) teachers, who got the books. It was one of the most rewarding moments in my life.
Now I chose another school and I hope that very soon they will have the full of money and I will get a new letter :)
If you want to make the world a slightly better place and the full clarity of your donation is crucial to you, feel free to donate to one of the projects of Bridge To Turkiye.
I became involved with this group because of my heritage- being Turkish- American, and because I wanted to be able to give back to those in Turkey- in a meaningful way. My Dad came to the United States when he was 18, to go to school, and to create the best life he could following his university experience. He did just that, while maintaining his cultural identity, that he passed down to his family. We were and are exceedingly proud to be Turkish, and this nonprofit allows me (and my family) the opportunity to not only be connected to our heritage, but to help others empower themselves through education. This latter part is very meaningful to me, as I am an educator as well, and my family also stressed the importance of education as a means of elevating and improving one's life. With the various events that I've been involved in- whether they are the Cinema-4-a-Cause events in downtown Chicago, the Bridging Cultures: A Turkish Celebration we recently held at Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple in Oak Park, or a family picnic that we host at the start of summer, the Chicago Circle of Bridge to Türkiye Fund has always had the focus on education support- but with a cultural twist. So, these events and happenings have been so meaningful for me- particularly after the loss of my father, the patriarch and holder of the Turkish traditions in my family. I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity to be connected to both my culture and such impactful and inspiring ways in which to support those that can benefit from that support, even if it's miles away.
