DAYTON--Two
thousand Turkish people here in Dayton now have their own community
center. The Ahiska Turkish American Community Center on Fifth street is
the old Bomberger Center.
It will be an ethnic and faith-based non-profit organization serving refugees, immigrants and under-served communities.
Ali Shakhmandarov's family was one of the first Ahishka Turkish refugees to move to Dayton five years ago.
"I like Dayton because everyone can buy their own houses," he said.
He came to get away from the religious and ethnic persecution after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
"I haven't taken any English classes and when I came here I was very surprised, so it took a lot of time to educate ourselves and now we own our own businesses," he added.
What started off as six families in Dayton five years ago has now grown into about 400 families. They've invested more than $15 million in Dayton's economy by purchasing abandoned housings.
"If we want to solve our housing crisis in Dayton, the only way we can do that is if we invite people who have been disenfranchised," said Mayor Gary Leitzell. "Obviously I can't get people from the suburbs to come here so I'm going to reach out to entrepreneurs, opportunists, people who have the American dream and we'll help them make it happen.
Mayor Leitzell says the Ahiska Turks are the reason the "Welcome Dayton Plan" started. They represent 23% of all the naturalizations in Dayton.
"We have own houses so we can get together, educate our children, teach them their culture," said Shakhmandarov.
"Thank you very much Daytonese, the American people for giving us the opportunity to live in peace to raise our children," said Ulfanova.
It will be an ethnic and faith-based non-profit organization serving refugees, immigrants and under-served communities.
Ali Shakhmandarov's family was one of the first Ahishka Turkish refugees to move to Dayton five years ago.
"I like Dayton because everyone can buy their own houses," he said.
He came to get away from the religious and ethnic persecution after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
"I haven't taken any English classes and when I came here I was very surprised, so it took a lot of time to educate ourselves and now we own our own businesses," he added.
What started off as six families in Dayton five years ago has now grown into about 400 families. They've invested more than $15 million in Dayton's economy by purchasing abandoned housings.
"If we want to solve our housing crisis in Dayton, the only way we can do that is if we invite people who have been disenfranchised," said Mayor Gary Leitzell. "Obviously I can't get people from the suburbs to come here so I'm going to reach out to entrepreneurs, opportunists, people who have the American dream and we'll help them make it happen.
Mayor Leitzell says the Ahiska Turks are the reason the "Welcome Dayton Plan" started. They represent 23% of all the naturalizations in Dayton.
"We have own houses so we can get together, educate our children, teach them their culture," said Shakhmandarov.
"Thank you very much Daytonese, the American people for giving us the opportunity to live in peace to raise our children," said Ulfanova.
