As a chef in Sydney, Somer Sivrioglu wants to help his home country in the best way he knows how - through food.
Like many others, Mr Sivrioglu has watched from afar as this week.
The magnitude 7.8-earthquake struck the southern Turkish province of Kahramanmaras on Monday, and has claimed the lives of more than 12,000 people in the country and neighbouring Syria.
"I couldn't sleep," Mr Sivrioglu told SBS News.
Mr Sivrioglu does not have family in the impacted areas, but says many of his close friends have loved ones there, some of who could not be reached for 48 hours.
He says he has been coordinating chefs from different parts of Turkey to help open up emergency kitchens in impacted areas.
"The magnitude of the issue is a lot more than what see. People are hungry and they are cold, there is no running water ... no running gas," he said.
At home in Sydney, as the owner of Turkish restaurant Maydanoz Sydney, he plans to host community members at a barbecue this weekend to help raise funds for the relief effort.
"This is the only thing we can do," he said. "I am a chef and we are restaurateurs. The only way we can help is by selling food and hopefully helping those who are in need."
On Sunday, the restaurant will prepare a barbecue of kebabs, drinks and other Turkish treats. Mr Sivrioglu said he will work with authorities to ensure all proceeds go towards emergency relief programs on the ground, including emergency kitchens.
"Every bit helps. I just feel the need to help in any way that I can," he said, adding that the emergency kitchens project will be assisted by connections he has made as a judge on MasterChef Turkey.
Communities step in to help
A Sydney man , as Australian officials support 50 other Australians and their families known to be in the disaster zone.
As the the government prepares to send search and rescue team to Turkey by the week's end, local community groups and aid organisations in Australia are stepping up for the cause.
Locals are facing freezing temperatures and heavy rain, with many unable to return to their properties that have since been destroyed by the earthquakes.
Local not-for-profit organisations, such as is appealing for people to donate funds for its partners on the ground to provide tents, blankets, nappies and raincoats.
Muslim-based NGO was already in Syria's rebel-held northwest where 2.8 million displaced people are situated.
"Right now, the Islamic Relief team here is distributing blankets, sheets and mattresses that we have in stock – but these will run out today and we need more as soon as possible," Mohammed Hamza, Head of Islamic Relief's office in Idlib said in a statement.
The majority of Syria and Turkey's populations are Muslim - one of the religion's pillars is charity. Now, aid organisations such as Islamic Relief are calling on people to help in the name of their faith.
'The community is behind us'
At Auburn Gallipoli Mosque in Sydney, youth coordinator Osman Goreli said the community is "doing it tough".
"We feel useless because we’re not able to go there and help out physically," he told SBS News.
"All our congregations are coming together and praying, asking each other if they know anyone or if anyone needs help in our communities."
He said the mosque has been inundated with calls and donations. It's coordinating with the Red Crescent aid agency in Turkey to ensure all donations reach the disaster zone.
"We are just doing donations at the moment because that is the quickest form of outreach," he said.
Mr Goreli said the mosque has received phone calls from around Australia, including from rural areas.
"Even a phone call with a message gives us a bit of relief, showing that the community is behind us - not just the Turkish community but the wider Australian community as well," he said.
"We are very thankful with the international support globally, with people from other countries helping us out with this tough time."
Auburn Gallipoli Mosque has been holding prayers every night this week, and will hold its main prayers on Friday.
Sumeyye Cetinkiran is a registered nurse who is also involved in community engagement efforts in Melbourne. Born in Australia, both her parents are from the city of Adana, one of the areas impacted by the earthquake.
"It's been very personal," she told SBS News. "I'm trying to make sense of it - but also be proactive about it as well, and be part of the community."
Ms Cetinkiran has been using social media as the key channel to organise community relief efforts.
She said mosques across the state have partnered with NGOs on fundraising campaigns, while business owners are also donating part of their proceeds to the relief effort.
"There's been such an overwhelming response, locally and internationally as well. Everyone in the community is so passionate ... Everyone is trying to do something in their capacity. It's very emotional," she said.
Ms Cetinkiran is also organising a fundraising campaign and event of her own, raising funds through a charity that was founded in Sydney in 2013, the Sadaqa Welfare Fund.
She is encouraging the community to look after their wellbeing through an initiative she is calling the ‘30 Minutes for 30 Days Movement' challenge.
'I know how much the support is needed'
In Melbourne's north, community members and volunteers have organised a container of sleeping bags and blankets that will be shipped to Turkey.
The backyard of a meat processing plant in the Campbellfield suburb has been transformed into a makeshift donation collection centre.
Birgül Bea Tercan, one of the organisers of the campaign, said she is "unfortunately quite experienced" in this regard.
She personally experienced the earthquake that caused significant destruction in 1999, which claimed more than 18,000 lives.
"I had experienced how terrible that earthquake was. Therefore, I know very well how much support is needed,"
Bea Tercan with items donated by members of Victoria's Turkish community. Credit: Bea Tercan
By the end of the first day of the donation drive, the group had filled a shipping container and truck with goods.
She said the group hopes to receive assistance from the Australian government to deliver goods to the affected regions.
The Australian Syrian Association Victoria is also running a campaign to prepare containers of dry food for those in northern Syria.
"We are human. No matter if we are in Australia, in Melbourne, in Turkey or in Syria or another country around the world," the association's spokesperson, Dr Said Ajlouni told SBS News.
"At the end of the day, humans are here to help humans."
