I am afraid that the idea of putting charity boxes in bars and restaurants in Turkey is not as simple as it seems.
As someone who has just spent the whole day in the Beldiye office, the court house, Fetav and the Manager of the Associations Office in the Kaymakams office, to get some simple collecting boxes agreed for the forthcoming carnival on 7 June, the hoops that you have to go through are a nightmare!
Firstly to become a named official collector (and everyone who is going to collect for us has to do this) you have to provide a copy of your passport and residency (non residents - don't even bother), two passport photographs and you then have to go the new courthouse and get an official paper to say that you do not have a criminal record. You then have to go a Turkish Govenment website to get a kimlik number and take this to the office in the government building next to FETAV where you have to prove your address attached to this kimlik number and get another official paper. If you are Turkish you also have to provide a copy of your birth certificate.
Several hours later, then and only then, you have to put a petition to the Manager of Associations office saying what you are collecting for. You have to give a projection of how much you expect to raise, less expenses, and what you intend to use the money for. You then have to substantiate this with receipts within a set time.
Now for the fun bit, the collecting box has to be sealed and locked by the said Associations office,who retains the key,(ours have big padlocks on them), preferably see through and it has to be opened in the company of the same officer at an agreed time. The box has to be located at a named designated point with the official named collector whose paperwork has been approved and records are kept of this at the Belediye. Finally you are not allowed to go round with the box to collect money, so donations have to come to you.
Now you see why I said no throwing small change at the floats at the carnival, any donations no matter how small have to be placed into the locked collecting boxes at set points manned by the official named collectors.
I now think I need rather a large drink!!!!!!!!!!!![xx(]