Second Annual RIDE FOR FOOD!

On September 15th, cyclists will dash through Dedham on the second annual Ride for Food. A number of Jamaica Plain residents will be riding--and cheering riders on--in order to raise money for the Jamaica Plain Food Pantry at First Church.

Last year, the first Ride for Food raised $33,000 for the Dedham Food Pantry. This year, the ride will benefit eight local food pantries around Greater Boston, including Jamaica Plain’s. One in six Americans cannot afford enough food, according to the Food Research and Action Center, and food pantries offer them critical assistance. The Ride’s non-profit sponsors, Three Squares New England and Ripples of Hope, have appropriated this popular fundraising approach to give food pantries like Jamaica Plain’s an unusual opportunity to bolster their budgets.

The Jamaica Plain Food Pantry hopes to assemble a team of 20 riders, with five already signed up. JP’s Bikes not Bombs and Ferris Wheels bike shop have been helping to recruit and spread the word.

The JP Food Pantry feeds over 100 people and families a month—people of all ages, races, and circumstances. “We see people start lining up an hour before we open, even in the snow,” says Jane Zerby. Jane, Gwyn Helie and their fellow volunteers operate the pantry solely on donations of non-perishable foods and monetary donations that sometimes allow them to distribute fresh foods. Demand is so great that the pantry occasionally runs out of food.

The Ride for Food is designed for fun. Riders may choose from 3 courses—of 12, 25, or 50 miles in length--and a BBQ feast awaits riders at the end! To join the JP team, and help feed hungry JP residents, simply visit www.threesquaresne.org or contact LindaOlmstead@hotmail.com with questions. Whole Foods of Dedham offers riders fundraising help in the form of facilities, chefs, food, and wine for fundraising cooking classes or gatherings.