Lapta Belediye appeal for help

[emineden]

Lapta Belediye have posted a plea on their facebook page, I enquired about helping and got the following message;

Across from Flippers Hotel there is the market called Bestmar. We are accepting help as payments. We are preparing 50TL help packages. You may go this market and find Mrs.Canan or Mr.Serdal and you may make payment and receive a receipt. Thank you very much for your help, much appreciated as there are many families applying to us and they have children. So if you have friends that may help please let them know also..

[erol]

Nice. I will certainly try and donate 10% of whatever my bestmar bill is for my own needs at least as long as my personal income streams continue to flow.

[munchy]

Have passed the information on. Will certainly donate for this increasingly necessary cause.

[sunseasand]

A very thoughtful idea as us brits can be a very kind bunch of people when others are in need.

I do very much hope that the shop owner will also help make our donations go even further by selling us these supplies at cost/wholesale cost, as his little bit to help as well,this might give us 25 to 40% more 50tl packs !

[sophie]

Catalkoy Belly have been doing this themselves for a week or more now I understand. As have Girne Belly. I think they take names of people in trouble and then go on from there.

[erol]

So just made a donation to this via bestmar on behalf of myself and another person who shall remain nameless but does enjoy the sun.

The receipt given was the debit card receipt. My details, name and phone number and how much donated were written down manually on a sheet of paper. I appeared to be the fourth or fifth name on that list.

[EnjoyingTheSun]

So just made a donation to this via bestmar on behalf of myself and another person who shall remain nameless but does enjoy the sun.

The receipt given was the debit card receipt. My details, name and phone number and how much donated were written down manually on a sheet of paper. I appeared to be the fourth or fifth name on that list.

Subtle as a brick! That’s my carefully honed street cred blown.
Tip for everyone never send some money to a commie do-gooder to pick you up some beer and ciggies, they'll cock it up!

On a more serious note, times are hard but don’t be afraid to contribute even a nominal amount to schemes such as this.
Even if you think a few lire is too little, it adds up and out here a little goes a long way.

Those that are saving a few lire now buying their Efes in a supermarket and drinking it at home, maybe chuck some it in the pot?
People are really going to struggle in the coming weeks/months.

If myself and Erol agree on something surely it must have something in it?

[erol]

Just bumping this. If anyone with revolut who would like to make a donation but does not want to go to bestmar to do and is willing to trust my honesty, then PM me.

[Jonesy299]

Lovely initiative started in our village (Doğanköy) to fill boxes in our little village supermarket with shopping to help out those locals struggling.
A previous contributor mentioned we are saving a lot of money by not being allowed to bars and restaurants etc so passing some of this on to others is no big deal - keep it up guys

[Mollie the cat]

Great initiative. Our local butcher in Ozankoy has done the same, you can drop a donation in his shop to support those who cannot get out or those feeling the pinch during this time, you are right, for those who can its the right thing to do.

Stay safe everyone.

[Wines Of The World]

Any updates on this great idea from the belediye and how many could of been helped by now. It's fantastic how all pull together in times of need.
I'd like to see maybe all of the supermarkets offer 1 days profits to this cause as I'm sure some are doing 1 months trade in 7 days currently.
What's 1 days profit to give back into a community that's shopping with you maybe 12 months of the year.
Just my humble thoughts

[erol]

What info I have.

For those in need the number to call (if you have a phone in credit that is) is 0548 876 2000. The cost of the packets is now 60TL. When I donated this morning, using money sent to me by forum members, my entry on the list you fill your details on, was 78. Meaning 78 contributions to the scheme have been made to date of varying amounts. I asked if they knew of any restrictions on getting help , like needing to be citizen and was told anyone can call the number.

I do not know how many packets have been handed out to date or to how many different people.

[erol]

Here is the updated 'graphic' (with 60TL cost)

[erol]

For those who have been contributing to this effort 'through' me this 'thank you' from Lapta Beli is for you.

google translate

Dear EROL ZİYA
The global epidemic that has been affecting our country for some time is covid-19 (coronavirus) people in need who are affected by the measures implemented by the government for your interest in the aid campaign we organized for due to your contribution, myself, my councilors, my staff and all Thank you very much on behalf of our citizens.
Hope to see you on healthy days… ..

[13roman58]

We got a thank you message from the belidere to our phone.

[erol]

It seems clear that this effort could use more donations. Please do consider helping if you can. There are still people out there that have not eaten in the last 24 hours or longer simply because they do not have the means to pay for food. You can donate direct via bestmar with cash or card, direct at lapta bele office but only with cash or via myself if that is easier. I can take funds to pass on via revolut, isbank tranfer or UK bank to UK bank transfer.

[erol]

Latest 'stats' sent to me from the Lapta mayor Mustafa Aktug

Google translate

yardim kolileri = aid boxes
distan gelen = coming from outside
bizim yaptirdiklarimiz = what we have done

To date this Lapta Bele effort has provided 1712 'aid boxes'. My understanding is as much as this is more is still needed. Please do consider donating or donating again to this effort if you can at all. Thanks.

[erol]

For my own benefit as much as anything else and in lieu of individual confirmations to people who have donated through me to this effort.

1740TL paid to bestmar today. This is made up of three separate donations. One of 600TL sent via isbank to isbank transfer. one of 300TL sent in TL via revolut. One of 840TL sent as sterling to uk account in amount of £97. Thank you to those who donated, you should know who you are.

[13roman58]

The karsiyaka muhtar has been interviewed by the local paper, he is saying that the 'food parcels ' are only being distributed in Karsyaka depending on the political party that you have voted for.

[EnjoyingTheSun]

The karsiyaka muhtar has been interviewed by the local paper, he is saying that the 'food parcels ' are only being distributed in Karsyaka depending on the political party that you have voted for.

Surely it's an anonymous ballot, how would they know?

[erol]

The karsiyaka muhtar has been interviewed by the local paper, he is saying that the 'food parcels ' are only being distributed in Karsyaka depending on the political party that you have voted for.

In any sort of absolute sense I know this to not be true because today I personally met people, multiple numbers of them, who live in the area covered by lapta bele who have received aid packages from the bele and do not even have a vote at all.

Is the help being distributed by lapta bele 'prefect'. No it is not not by a long mile. Is it making a real difference to some people. Yes it is. By difference I mean is it helping some people who literally have gone a day or more with no food at all , for themselves and their dependants. This is real world actual difference. This is not politics. When someone who has gone a day , two days or even more without food is given food, that is not politics. Does this place such schemes beyond any and all reproach. No it does not but a simple 'binary' attack like the one reported by you above can only result in less people in desperate need, need like I have never personally experienced in my lifetime, getting help. That is to me very depressing.

[13roman58]

Don't shoot the messenger!

[EnjoyingTheSun]

Is the help being distributed by lapta bele 'prefect'. No it is not not by a long mile. Is it making a real difference to some people. Yes it is. By difference I mean is it helping some people who literally have gone a day or more with no food at all , for themselves and their dependants. This is real world actual difference. This is not politics. When someone who has gone a day , two days or even more without food is given food, that is not politics. Does this place such schemes beyond any and all reproach. No it does not but a simple 'binary' attack like the one reported by you above can only result in less people in desperate need, need like I have never personally experienced in my lifetime, getting help. That is to me very depressing.

This has moved beyond theoretical politics and is a real problem.

This isn't relative poverty where we can argue what constitutes real poverty this is people who do not have enough to eat.

We can all judge a cleaner who is going out to do their job that they are breaking the rules but they are desperate to get some lire in to feed their family. Until you are in their position maybe not be so quick to judgement.

We can criticise the politicians over here who are prioritising their own people over others but the reality is they have a certain amount of money and no idea how long it may have to last.

As you are aware that I agree with Erol on very little politically but I believe he has a good heart if he can be a little naive at times.
Now Erol is faced with the reality that he may have to make decisions on who might be getting food next week and who doesn't. He has through the generosity of people on here a certain amount of money available but it only goes so far.
There is no magic money tree here.

The politicians have made some poor decisions and some good decisions but I don't believe that of the poor decisions have been made out of malice. It is an unprecedented crisis and people are making their best choice with the information they have. It is very easy to sit back and see what the result is and then criticise.
Personally I think the virus has been overestimated and the economic fallout understimated.

All we can do is be sensible ourselves and contribute what we can