The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) is pleased to announce a nationwide campaign to raise $100,000 for Syrian refugees living in Turkey. TCA will match every dollar contributed as part of this campaign with a goal of raising a total of $100,000. These matching funds will double the impact of support from Turkish Americans and friends of Turkey across the country. All funds will be allocated to fund specific project requests from humanitarian organizations such as One Refugee Child, Refugee Volunteers of Izmir (ReVi), Small Projects Istanbul, Bütün Çocuklar Bizim Derneği, and Artı 1 İnsani Yardım (Plus 1 Humanitarian Aid) who work directly with refugees on the ground in Turkey. The Turkish Coalition of America is a Section 501(c)3 nonprofit and donations may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. Donations can be made by clicking here.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL/16^th), member of the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations and Turkish Americans, met with TCA interns to discuss U.S.-Turkey relations. Rep. Kinzinger serves on the House Energy & Commerce Committee and was previously stationed at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey during his military service. Rep. Kinzinger discussed the importance of the U.S.-Turkey relationship and the significance of the Turkish American community's engagement in the U.S. political arena. Speaking about the Syrian crisis, Congressman Kinzinger praised Turkey for its outstanding job in providing shelter and aid to Syrian refugees and emphasized the need to create safe zones in Syria. Rep. Kizinger also thanked TCA for its matching funds campaign to raise donations for Syrian refugees.

TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy travelled to Santa Fe, NM where he met with Dr. Robert Martin, President of the Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA), and Patsy Phillips, Director of IAIA’s Museum of Native American Contemporary Art, to discuss TCA’s Study Abroad Scholarships for American Students of Minority and Heritage Communities and collaboration between TCA and IAIA.

For the second year in a row, TCA co-sponsored a reception on Capitol Hill in honor of June’s Immigrant Heritage Month. The program featured key leaders of immigration reform and honored several Members of Congress including Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Turkey Caucus members Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ/9^th), and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA/13^th). Immigrant Heritage Month celebrates a United States that is fueled by immigrants from around the world and the ways in which America and the immigrants who have built our country are linked in a shared, productive history.

TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy met with Turkey Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC/5^th), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA/48^th), Rep. Ann Kuster (D-NH/2^nd), Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO/2^nd) and staff members from the offices of Rep. Glenn Grothmann (R-WI/6^th) and Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL/20^th) to discuss the Turkey Caucus and U.S.-Turkey relations.

TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy participated in a U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress’s (USAFMC) breakfast briefing on the presidential election with Republican Co-Chairs of USAFMC’s Congressional Study Groups. The co-chairs participating were Rep. Billy Long (R-MO/7^th), Co-Chair of the Japan Study Group, and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE/1^st), Co-Chair of the Europe Study Group.

TCA President G. Lincoln McCurdy travelled to Pittsburgh, PA where he visited local Turkish American businesses and met with Turkish Americans to discuss the importance of grassroots organizations and strong U.S.-Turkey relations.

This summer, TCA welcomes 17 interns to Washington, DC to participate in the 2016 Washington Summer Internship Program. Seven will spend their summer on Capitol Hill in the offices of Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-AL/4^th), Barbara Comstock (R-VA/16^th), Henry Cuellar (D-TX/28^th), Alan Grayson (D-FL/9^th), Frank Guinta (R-NH/1^st), Alcee Hastings (D-FL/20^th), and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL/16^th). Other interns will work at the Atlantic Council, the Turkish Industry and Business Council (TUSIAD), the Union of Chambers and Commodity exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), the Turkish Heritage Organization (THO), the American Turkish Council (ATC), the Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina (ACBH), and TCA.