Minnesota nonprofits say earthquake victims need blankets, food, medicine
MINNEAPOLIS -- More than 11,000 people are confirmed dead following this week's earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Officials say Wednesday could be the last favorable day for rescuing any survivors from the rubble.
Meanwhile, Twin Cities groups are stepping in to help humanitarian efforts happening abroad, but they're asking for the public's help in that process.
The earthquake comes on top of years and years of war and destruction already in the region. WCCO spoke with Questscope's Roy Moussalli, who is based in Damascus and who says they're trying to help people impacted by the earthquake as well and as soon as they can.
The Minneapolis-based non-profit Alight is helping them along the way. They say the biggest needs they're seeing right now are for blankets, mattresses, food, hygiene kits, and medicine.
Alight is working to provide funding, help shelters and supply churches with resources. They say every donation makes a difference.
"It makes a huge difference. It is a difference between life and death," Moussalli said. "When you know that there's support from people, from organizations, that are caring and are loving, that have a humanitarian concern, that are concerned with keeping people alive and taking care of them, that's a huge difference."
Moussalli said right now the biggest concern is cold weather. With so many out of their homes, there are concerns about a spike in diseases.
To learn more about Alight, click here.
Hear more from Moussalli and Alight on WCCO 4 News at 5.
