Help 2 families in Antakya, Turkey resettle

In 2016 IRRC was formed and welcomed our first family; a Syrian family of four (soon to become five). Like millions of others, Mohammed and Nour were forced to flee the violence of civil war. In their case, to Egypt. After five years, they received approval to resettle in the US. Much of their extended family chose, instead, to restart their lives closer to "home", in southern Turkey. Nour's two brothers, Khaled (45, Rana 43, Abdurhman 14 and Abdul 12) and Mahmoud (33, wife 33, son 10 & 3, and daughter 6) chose Antakya. Today this is the center of this century's largest and most devastating earthquake. More than losing their homes and belongings a second time, Mohamoud lost his 3yr old son. And perhaps hope for his family's future.

Our focus is on providing a 3-6mos runway of food, clothing and shelter. Long enough to figure out next steps. The families have relocated to Mersin, northeast of Antakya but outside the quake zone. While shelter, in particular, is expected to be in short supply, we have good reason to believe their initial resettlement can be done for $5000.

Mohammed is traveling to Turkey this week, and will arrange to set up a Western Union, or equivalent money transfer account, in the names of Nour's brothers. We hope to make the first transfer the week Feb20.

IRRC is still based in Fairfield county a Connecticut and continues to help welcome refugee families. https://interfaith-refugee-resettlement-committee.mailchimpsites.com/