Minneapolis-based Alight is fundraising to help survivors of the earthquake that rocked Syria and Turkey early Monday.
The organization is providing money and resources to a Syrian team from its subsidiary, Questscope, which has offices in Minneapolis, London and Jordan. The team is operating three shelters in Aleppo, supplying hundreds of residents with food, clothes and a safe place to sleep in Catholic and Orthodox churches.
"They're still in the midst of this emergency," said Chris Kindler, a spokesman for Alight, formerly known as the American Refugee Committee.
Many people are sleeping in their cars in subzero temperatures in the countryside to avoid possible building collapses, Kindler said, and the hospitals in Aleppo are full.
Alight, which operates programs in 21 countries, often responds to international crises, including the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. It most recently has assisted Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion.
Within a few hours on Monday, Alight had raised nearly $20,000 to support Syrian rescue efforts. To donate, go to wearealight.org.
"The most helpful way people can support [earthquake survivors] is with a financial contribution," Kindler said. "People across the world care and are taking action. It really does mean a lot to people."
