As humanitarian groups rush to help with earthquake rescue and relief efforts in Turkey and Syria, Yassin Terou, a Syrian refugee now restaurant owner in Knoxville has been collecting donations online.
Then, Yassin, owner of Yassin’s Falafel House in Knoxville, traveled from the U.S. to Turkey on a mission to help provide food relief, medical care, fuel and shelter to those in desperate need.
Terou has provided updates at the scene on Facebook live with videos showing the barren camps where families are in need of basic essentials.
Terou said “it’s very sad seeing how people are living right now” in the shelter camps.
“There is a lot of need right here … we’re just doing everything we can and changing our plan one or two times a day because every time we do something they need more,” he explained.
Terou launched a digital fundraiser to start an emergency soup kitchen and offer medical care, with money going directly to two organizations: CelebrateMercy and Syria Relief and Development.
