Following two substantial earthquakes in Turkey on Feb. 6, the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions in partnership with World Council of Credit Unions on Thursday launched its Turkish Cooperative Earthquake Relief Fund to solicit donations in support of Turkey’s cooperative movement, which suffered mass devastation.

Turkish Agricultural Credit Cooperatives (Tarimkredi) has more than 150 cooperatives with 80,000 members in the 10 provinces impacted by the earthquakes and estimates at least half of those institutions have suffered some level of destruction, according to WOCCU. Elissa McCarter LaBorde, WOCCU President/CEO, reached out to the leaders of Tarimkredi and the heads of other organizations in Turkey to assess the greatest needs and to determine how the relief fund can be put to the best and most immediate use possible.

In addition to the Turkish Cooperative Earthquake Relief Fund, to support humanitarian relief efforts on the ground in both Turkey and Syria, WOCCU is communication with the International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation, a non-governmental organization that has intensified relief efforts by distributing hot meals, ready-to-eat food, blankets, aid kits and is contributing to build shelters and tent cities.