Local Turkish business owner hopes the U.S. and nonprofits such as Shelter Box USA will help his homeland

CARPINTERIA, Calif.- The owner of SADE Turkish Coffee and Delights on Carpinteria Ave. in Carpinteria is hoping the United States and local nonprofits such as Shelter Box USA will help his homeland.

Ali Uzuntepe grew up in Istanbul and recalls major earthquakes in his youth.

He said Turkey is seismically active.

As he makes coffee and serves baklava, his phone lights up. It is full of messages from people checking in and he has posted a ribbon on Instagram to raise awareness. (sadeturkishcoffee.com)

He said the focus is on search and rescue and the need is growing for more heavy equipment to help find people beneath the rubble.

"It doesn't matter where it has happened, it matters there is a human, there are a lot of kids over there people are having a hard time, happy people good people," said Uzuntepe, "this is devastating, absolutely, but we have to deal with it." 

Shelter Box USA's headquarters is located near Summerland, just a few miles away from SADE.

The nonprofit's Communications Director Jeremy Jacobs said they are sending a team to Turkey to access the situation before officially announcing plans to send the big green boxes full of equipment needed to survive.

Shelter Box USA's communication director says they have been busy helping people shelter in war-torn Ukraine where it is cold like Turkey.

Shelter Boxes are strategically stored in warehouses around the world that can easily be depleted when disasters strike.

People are welcome to donate and may earmark donations to certain disasters, such as Turkey and neighboring Syria, that is also impacted by the earthquake.

"It is devastation and there are thousand of buildings and homes either destroyed or partially destroyed," said Jacobs. "So there's going to be a lot people out there in that region looking for somewhere warm to call home."

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