A soup kitchen established under the "81 Soup Kitchens in 81 Provinces” initiative by the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) was inaugurated on Friday in Adana, southern Türkiye, expanding the organization’s nationwide humanitarian support network aimed at strengthening food assistance and disaster response capacity.

The facility, located at the Kızılay Disaster Center in the Yüreğir district, is designed to provide daily meals for thousands of people while also serving as a large-scale emergency food distribution hub during disasters, officials said during the opening ceremony.

Kızılay president Fatma Meriç Yılmaz said the newly opened soup kitchen will play a key role in delivering daily meals to vulnerable groups while also strengthening the organization’s nationwide humanitarian infrastructure.

Yılmaz said the facility was opened as part of the "81 Soup Kitchens in 81 Provinces” initiative, a long-term operational program designed to expand food assistance services across the country.

She explained that the soup kitchens primarily support elderly people living alone, individuals with disabilities and others who are unable to prepare meals at home.

"We say to those who are alone that ‘we are right by your side.’ We say this especially for our elderly citizens living alone, people with disabilities and those who do not have the strength to cook meals at home. During Ramadan, the spirit of solidarity grows through iftar programs, but after Ramadan these soup kitchens continue to provide services every day of the year, 365 days,” she said.

Yılmaz noted that the Adana facility has been designed with scalable capacity in order to meet both daily community needs and potential emergency situations.

"This soup kitchen is currently structured to serve meals to 3,000 people per day. However, it has the infrastructure to increase its capacity to 11,000 and, if necessary, up to 30,000. This means it can also create a very significant capacity during disasters,” she said.

Highlighting the broader national strategy, Yılmaz said the organization is steadily expanding its network of soup kitchens with the support of donors and volunteers.

"We started with 46 soup kitchens across Türkiye and have already brought them into service in a short period of time with the support of our donors. We have planned to open 22 more soup kitchens in 2026. Many of these are being built from the ground up as new facilities,” she said.

The long-term objective, she added, is to ensure that every province in Türkiye has at least one operational soup kitchen, while larger cities will host multiple facilities.

"At the end of two years, we aim to open at least one soup kitchen in each of the 81 provinces, and naturally more than one in some cities. For example, in Istanbul we need a minimum of 10 soup kitchens,” Yılmaz said.

She emphasized that the initiative is sustained through public support and the efforts of the organization’s volunteer network.

"The more donations we receive, the more responsibility we take on and the harder we work, but we never get tired. In fact, the more people we reach, the more our energy grows,” she said.

Yılmaz also highlighted the scale of the organization’s volunteer base. "As Kızılay, we are a large family with more than 450,000 volunteers. Our volunteers stand ready to run wherever someone needs help. The more work and donations there are, the greater our energy and responsibility become,” she said.

She added that the soup kitchen network aims to ensure that no one in Türkiye is left without support.

During the opening ceremony, Adana Governor Mustafa Yavuz highlighted the critical role played by Kızılay in supporting communities during both emergencies and everyday life, emphasizing that the organization has consistently stood alongside citizens during some of the province’s most difficult moments.

Yavuz said the newly opened soup kitchen would serve not only as a daily social support facility but also as a critical resource during emergencies.

"This facility is more than just a soup kitchen. In a city where there is food and work, there is peace. If Adana has food and opportunity, the sense of stability in our city will be strengthened,” he said.

"Kızılay does not only distribute food. Sometimes it contributes to shelter, sometimes it provides clothing to those who are cold, and sometimes it supports health services through blood donation programs,” he said. He called on citizens across the country to support the organization through volunteering and blood donations.

Later in the evening, after the opening ceremony, Kızılay hosted a warm and festive Ramadan iftar on the historic Stone Bridge over the Seyhan River, bringing together 3,000 people to share in the blessings of the holy month.

Speaking during the gathering, Governor Yavuz said the city stands out with its geography, abundance, historical heritage and rich gastronomy.

"Adana is a very special city with its geography, abundance, history and gastronomy. By mobilizing this potential, we will make even greater contributions to promoting Adana,” he said.

Yavuz also noted that one of the city’s well-known traditional beverages recently gained international recognition.

"Şalgam, one of Adana’s values, received geographical indication registration from the European Union yesterday. We will promote our products that contribute to Adana’s recognition both nationally and internationally,” he said.