On December 4th, 2014 the American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) collaborated to host a gala dinner to benefit Syrian refugees. A total of $98,000 was raised and 25,000 blankets were collected from across Northern Virginia this year.
Organizations that took part in organizing the dinner, included Mid Atlantic Federation of Turkic Americans (MAFTAA); The Rumi Forum; Kimse Yok Mu, an aid organization based in Turkey and Embrace Relief, a relief aid organization founded by Turkish Americans.
Among the distinguished leaders were Congressman Gerry Connolly (VA); Representative-Elect Barbara Comstock (VA), Metin Çetiner, General Manager at Kimse Yok Mu; Osman Dulgeroglu, Embrace relief Representative; Mahmut Yeter, Executive Director of MAFTAA; Emre Çelik, President of Rumi Forum; Mark Gibb, Executive Director of Northern Virginia Regional Commission; Scott York, Chairman of Loudon County in Virginia, Mark Sickles, Delegate at Virginia General Assembly and Marty Nohe, Supervisor at Prince William County in Virginia.
Congressman Connolly, in his speech remarked that the dinner serves as “an expression of solidarity and ray of hope for people suffering in Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Iraq.” and thanked the guests for their support to the Syrian Blanket Drive.
Later in the evening, the guests were given a video presentation displaying the programs and initiatives of Kimse Yok Mu across the globe. Metin Çetiner, received an award from Congressman Gerry Connolly in appreciation of the hard work and dedication of its volunteers and supporters.
