RIDE FOR REFUGE

Join us in Chicago/Geneva and Grand Rapids on October 2, or on October 16 in Oklahoma City for this year's Ride for Refuge!

From its humble beginnings with 25 riders and a handful of volunteers, the Ride for Refugees (the "RIDE") has swollen to 3600 riders and over 1000 volunteers. And while that small inaugural ride raised a very respectable $25,000, last year an amazing $860,000 was raised in 17 cities across Canada, USA and Australia. Since 2004 the RIDE has directed $1.9 million to the refugee "Impact Programs" of International Teams and qualified Ride Partner Grant recipients.

In recognition of this accelerating growth and the obvious potential for this event to help tens of thousands more seeking refuge, International Teams is releasing the Ride for Refugees to grow independently under new charitable oversight, empowered by and focused on its generous vision.

2010 will serve as a transition year, as IT Canada will continue to provide support in governance and operations with a goal for the new organization to be wholly independent by December 31, 2011.

The RIDE just keeps on growing

The current RIDE team of Brian Carney and Mika Takamaki (who have worked on the event since 2004 and 2007 respectively), will be engaged exclusively with the RIDE, providing full-time operational, marketing and sales leadership.

Refocused Name and Cause

In conjunction with these structural changes, the RIDE is refocusing the primary cause it serves. Effective February 1st, the Ride for Refugees will re-launch as "The Ride for Refuge". This subtle name change will help the RIDE extend its reach and impact significantly. Hundreds more churches and ministry partners will be able to use the RIDE not only to finance their work of reaching and caring for refugees, but to reach out and care for others in desperate need of refuge as well.

→ Learn more about the Ride at rideforrefuge.org