The situation: The massive earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6 is the world’s deadliest since 2010, with more than 40,000 lives lost so far and more than a million people in emergency shelters.
Delivering humanitarian aid: UPS pledges $1M in global logistics services for earthquake relief
What we’re doing and how others can help
“UPS is mobilizing our logistics network and expertise to get help to where it’s needed most,” said Nikki Clifton, president of social impact and The UPS Foundation. “We’ve been able to make an immediate impact with our European air hub in Cologne and are working closely with humanitarian relief partners to deliver quickly from Dubai.”
How we’re responding:
- Pledging more than US$1 million in global logistics services.
- Operating an airbridge to Istanbul from Cologne, Germany with space on daily flights dedicated to humanitarian organizations.
- Working with the World Food Programme, United Nations High Commission for Refugees and International Red Cross & Red Crescent to fly in relief items from Dubai.
- Transporting food, healthcare and shelter supplies to Turkey from our Worldport air hub in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Offering transport capacity in UPS trucks for the Istanbul city government, Turkish Red Crescent and NeedsMap, a local NGO we support.
What others can do to help: The most effective thing individuals can do at this stage is donate funds to organizations providing relief. Please consider donating directly to these partner organizations on the ground:
UPS employees stepping up to help: More than 130 UPSers live in the impacted area, and co-workers from around the world have been eager to show their support.
- A team of skilled UPS volunteers created EDUARDO, an emergency air dashboard that helps humanitarian relief organizations quickly access all available flight capacity at airports across Turkey.
- UPSers are dedicating thousands of hours in volunteer efforts to pack, sort, load and provide transportation services to get donated relief items to Turkish Airlines, in collaboration with Turkish consulates.
- Since Feb. 8, UPSers have been responding generously to the call to action to donate funds through the UPS Community Connections giving portal so the company can match those donations.