Trinity Church in Asbury Park will host the fifth annual Jersey Shore Ride for Food Justice, a cycling event, Sat., Sept. 9. Rain date is Sept. 23.
The event will raise funds for the newly rebranded Trinity Center for Community, which serves the local population and includes active food, housing, LGBTQ+, and racial justice initiatives. The ride has grown significantly over the past several years. The center invites riders, donors, and sponsors to participate.
Last year, the Jersey Shore Ride for Food Justice raised approximately $88,000 to support feed hungry people in Asbury Park. Over the last four years, the ride has raised more than $200,000. The ride includes routes of 15, 30, and 62 miles beginning and ending at Trinity Church, 503 Asbury Avenue, Asbury Park. Each route heads north along the beautiful Jersey Shore coastline, the start times will be staggered. A picnic will be held at the finish line on the church grounds.
The 2022 ride was the most successful so far and included:
- 160 riders
- 19 riding teams
- 40 volunteers
- 15 business sponsors
- Nearly 600 individual donors
Trinity Church and the Trinity Center for Community strive to reduce hunger in Asbury Park and organize to prevent hunger and injustice in the future.
“There are food insecurity and hunger problems in our area. When we come together as a community and support events like this, we can take more steps toward ensuring that everyone has access to the food they need for themselves and their families,” said Dave Osis, ride organizer.
In addition to fighting hunger in the community, Trinity’s Radical Wellbeing Program provides resources to help community members thrive in their housing, including life skills and financial empowerment coaching, mental health support, and recovery support. Trinity is also a member of the Women’s Hospitality Network, which houses women experiencing homelessness. The center’s Saturday Soup kitchen has been operating for more than three decades and serves approximately 200 meals every Saturday.
So far this year, Trinity has:
- Distributed 192,112 pounds of groceries
- Helped 52 people find new housing or keep their existing housing
- Employed 54 community members through the Food Justice work program, helping them build their job skills and employment histories
For questions or more information, visit bit.ly/justiceride or call (732) 775-5084.
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