GULEN ORGANIZATIONS - AUSTIN/HOUSTON, TEXAS
Austin Gulen Organizations - (all office at 12400 Amherst Dr, Suite 108, Austin, Texas 78727):
- Raindrop Foundation (Austin, Texas) - Mehmet Okumus operates this location. 7 locations in Texas. I believe the main office is the Houston branch. Locations in AR, MS, NM, LA, KS and OK
- Institute for Interfaith Dialog (Austin Branch of Houston office) - Dr. Yetkin Yildirim (Vice President) and Dr. Guner Arslan is "Founding Member"
- Turkish American Women's Association (Austin, Texas)
- Austin-Antalya Sister City Committee - the Chair is Prof. Burhanettin Kuruscu (a professor of economics at University of Texas a Austin) and seems to be managed by Dr. Yetkin Yildirim
- WhirlingDervishes.org - evidently a site run by the Raindrop Foundation of Texas. I understand their performances are booked through Austin.
- Bluebonnet Learning Center of Austin. 3-5 year olds. Summer programs at Harmony School of Science.
- Harmony Science Academy of Austin, 930 E. Rundberg Lane, Austin, Texas 78753 (K through 8)
- Harmony School of Excellence of Austin. 2100 E. St. Elmo Rd. Austin, Texas 78744 (K through 8)
- Harmony School of Science, Austin. 11800 Stonehollow Drive, Austin, Texas 78758 (K through 8)
- Harmony Science Academy of North Austin, 1421 Wells Branch Pkwy, Pfluegerville, Texas 78660 (5 through 12)
(All of the "Harmony" schools have a website at http://hssaustin.org/)
Houston Gulen organizations (most office at 9301 West Bellfort, Houston, Texas 77031):
- Cosmos Foundation, Houston - operates all Gulen-organized "Harmony" charter schools in Texas. Located in same office park at Bluebonnet Learning Center, Gulf Language School and Texas Gulf Institute. As of March, 2010 the President of Cosmos is "Oner Ulvi Celepcikay." http://www.harmonytx.org/
- Texas Turkish Chamber of Commerce, Houston - linked to Raindrop Foundation and TUSKON;
- Houston-Baku Sister City Committee (?) - linked to Raindrop Foundation which is listed as a 'Sponsor' on site;
- Gulen Institute, Houston - a venture between the University of Houston and the Institute for Interfaith Dialog; located at the UH Graduate College of Social Work, Houston;
- Houston-Istanbul Sister City Committee - President is M. Ruhi Ozgel (offices are located at 9301 W. Bellfort which also houses the Institute for Interfaith Dialog);
- Alumni of Turkey Trips (http://www.alumniofturkey.org/) - Houston? Evidently a new website created by Institute for Interfaith Dialog and Raindrop Foundation both of Houston.
- Institute for Interfaith Dialog, Houston - President is Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan (?)
- Turqouise Center, Houston - cultural center located at 9301 W. Bellfort with IID, Houston-Instanbul, Raindrop, etc.)
- StudyTurkish.org - based at Raindrop House, Houston. Affiliated with University of Houston;
- Houston Blue Mosque - (http://www.houstonbluemosque.org/) connected to "Citadel Foundation"(?). Islamic mosque offering daily prayers and religious events. Both operate at 9301 W. Bellfort;
- Azerbaijanian American Cultural Alliance, Houston - located at 9301 W. Bellfort.
- Turkic Fest, Houston. Annual Turkic "Cultures and Children's Festival" evidently organized by the Raindrop Turkish Houston of Houston;
- Turkish Cultural Center, Houston (?) - mentioned as being housed with Raindrop and Institute for Interfaith Dialog in 2007 Texas Monthly article. Now Turquoise Center?
- Bosniaks Cultural Community of Houston - organized by Miralem Turkic?
- Citadel Foundation, Houston - Islamic charity located at 9301 W. Bellfort (see: Houston Blue Mosque, supra).
- Turkmen Young Scholars Association (Houston?)
- Harmony Science Academy, Houston
- Harmony Science Academy of NW Houston
- Harmony School of Excellence, Houston
- Harmony School of Endeavor, Houston
- Harmony School of Ingenuity, Houston
- Harmony School of Innovation, Houston
- Harmony School of Science, Houston
(Besides the Harmony Schools in Austin and Houston, there are 14 other locations (for a total of 25, not including vocational and pre-school - 4 more than my last count in early '09) in Texas as listed on their website at http://www.harmonytx.org/schools/)
- Helix Design & Production (produces many of the Gulen websites in Houston). Located at 10700 Kingston Street, Houston, Texas 77099. Same address as Texas Turkish American Chamber of Commerce
- Rainbow Painting (http://www.rainbow-painting.com/index.html). Listed as "Rainbow Construction" on Cosmos Foundation 2006 IRS Form 990 - Cosmos paid over $2.3M that year for 'construction' services yet Rainbow Painting's website shows that it did no work in Houston until 2007. Operated from a single family residence at 12722 Ashford Meadow Drive, Houston, Texas 77082;
- Ege Construction Company of Turkey (Houston office) http://egeconstruction.org/;
- Atlas Construction Company of Turkey (Houston office) - provided construction services of over a $1M to Harmony Schools
- Karagan Law Firm, Houston. Small 2-5 person firm run by Yalcin Karagan who was licensed to practice in Texas in 2000. Although website indicates personal injury focus, did he handle labor certifications for Gulen H1B's? Received $178, 520 on 2006 Cosmos IRS Form 990 for legal work.
Louisiana Gulen organizations (not a complete listing)
Atlas Foundation of Louisiana - locations in Baton Rouge and New Orleans (http://www.atlaslouisiana.org/)
Baton Rouge-Malatya, Turkey Sister City Committee
Gulen-affiliated Educational Institutions (not a complete listing):
Texas Gulf Institute (vocational, computer training) Houston, Texas - located at http://www.tgicareer.com/
Gulf Language School (located with Texas Gulf Institute), Houston, Texas - http://www.gulfesl.org/
Bluebonnet Learning Center, Houston, Texas (also locations in Dallas and El Paso). For children 3-5 years of age. Located in same office park as Texas Gulf Institute and Gulf Language School (?). http://www.bluebonnetlearningcenter.com/
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