Update: The 2019 Cycle for the Cause raised $2.1 million (the highest amount they have ever raised!) to continue the fight to end HIV and AIDS! Congratulations to all involved! Here are photos of the finish:
Cyclists finishing Cycle for the Cause, 2019. Photo by the IS Collective
More cyclists finishing Cycle for the Cause, 2019. Photo by the IS Collective
This year, Cycle for the Cause raised $2.1 million to fight to end HIV and AIDS. Photo by the IS Collective
There’s nothing like finishing a tough charity bike ride! Photo by the IS Collective275 mile bike ride will travel from Boston to NYC to raise funds and awareness to end HIV/AIDS
Friday, September 20, 2019 — Boston, MA to New York, NY — On Friday, NYC’s LGBT Community Center will begin its 25th annual Cycle for the Cause, a 275-mile, three-day bike ride that funds the fight to end AIDS. Since its inception in 1995, the Ride has raised more than $14 million for the continuation and expansion of The Center’s HIV/AIDS prevention and support services.
“We’ve made incredible strides in the fight against AIDS over the past few decades—but as long as the disease exists, we can’t claim victory,” said Glennda Testone, The Center’s Executive Director. “The funds and awareness that Cycle for the Cause raises ensure that we can keep making progress, and strengthen our efforts to stamp out HIV and AIDS once and for all.”
The Center was founded in 1983 in direct response to the AIDS crisis. Cycle for the Cause offered LGBTQ community members and their loved ones a way to battle the AIDS epidemic that devastated our community, while also expanding the conversation about AIDS to other towns, cities and states. Today, the Ride continues to be a way to fight the disease and raise awareness of how it still affects people today.
More than one million people in the U.S. live with HIV, and thousands will die from AIDS-related complications this year alone. With funds from the Ride, The Center provides:
- A harm reduction pilot program addressing the correlation between meth use and HIV infection
- Free rapid HIV testing, five days a week
- Tailored education and prevention programs for youth, transgender and gender nonconforming individuals
- Assistance accessing HIV prevention medications PrEP and PEP
- Family planning to reduce the risk of transmission for HIV-positive parents
- Safer sex kits distributed to thousands of youth and adults each year
- Referrals to health insurance and housing options, as well as LGBTQ-affirming doctors who specialize in HIV/AIDS
- Individual, couples, family and group counseling
Cycle for the Cause 2019 extends from Boston to New York City, with overnight stops in Framingham, MA; Mashantucket, CT and Trumbull, CT. Nearly 500 people will participate in the journey, including crew members and riders. The Ride will conclude on Sunday, September 22, with closing ceremonies known as The Red Party at The Center, 208 W 13 St, NYC. The Red Party is free and open to the public.
About The Center
Established in 1983, New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center empowers people to lead healthy, successful lives. The Center celebrates diversity and advocates for justice and opportunity. Each year, The Center welcomes more than 300,000 visits to our building in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan from people who engage in our life-changing and life-saving activities. To learn more about our work, please visit our web site.
Follow Cycle for the Cause on Instagram and Facebook.
#cycleforthecause
Are you thinking you need a bit more training before you could do this kind of ride? Check out our post, How to Train for Your First Charity Bike Ride!
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