NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Caeli Quinn, Executive Director, Climate Ride, 406.871.5477, [email protected]
CLIMATE RIDE ANNOUNCES RECORD GRANTS IN 2015 AND EXPANDS TO TEN EVENTS IN 2016
Climate Ride’s Events for Sustainability Increase Grants by 20 Percent. Organization Debuts New Adventure Travel Charitable Trips in Death Valley, San Juan Islands and Olympic Peninsula, Vietnam and Cambodia
MISSOULA, MT – December 15, 2015: Climate Ride, the philanthropic organization that organizes charitable adventure travel challenges, has announced record grants in 2015 – a 20 percent increase over 2014 grants. The organization just issued $875,011.00 in grants to 125 nonprofit organizations working on climate, conservation and active transportation issues. 28% of grants are designated for bicycle coalitions and active transportation work. 72% of grants are focused on conservation, climate and environmental work. Since 2008, Climate Ride has granted more than $3.2 Million to its beneficiary collection.
With growing national awareness of environmental and sustainability issues, Climate Ride also announced its expansion from 7 to 10 events in 2016. The collection of rides and hikes will display an emphasis on incredible places worth protecting like National Parks. In stride with the National Park Service Centennial, Climate Ride events will be located in Death Valley National Park, Olympic National Park, and Glacier National Park. Climate Ride will also bring back the classic New York City to Washington D.C. Ride as well as the popular Bar Harbor, ME (Acadia National Park) to Boston Ride and the stunning California North Coast Ride from the Redwood Empire to San Francisco. Additionally, Climate Ride announced its first international departure, a 9-day bicycle trip from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. For people interested in hiking, Climate Ride will also host two hiking trips in Glacier National Park. These multi-day cycling and hiking adventures raise funds for more than 150 environmental and active transportation organizations working in the areas of sustainability, renewable energy, climate change, public health, and bicycle advocacy. Registration for all events is open at www.climateride.org.
“This is an incredibly important time to inspire people and increase philanthropic support for sustainability. Climate Ride is ready to rise to the challenge,” said Caeli Quinn, Executive Director of Climate Ride. “Through our events, we combine fitness, extraordinary experiences and the beauty of the American landscape, while uniting businesses, individuals, and nonprofits around climate, conservation and active transportation. We’ve heard from so many of our supporters across the U.S. that they’d like to see a Climate Ride event closer to home. These new events will increase our national participation and the impact of our grants program on local and national nonprofits. It’s a win for our participants and a win for the planet.”
The organization’s Climate Ride and Hike events help advance the Climate Ride mission and benefit a collection of more than 150 hardworking environmental and bicycle-related nonprofits working at the local and national level including: 350.org, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 1% for the Planet, Alliance for Climate Education, B Lab, National Parks Conservation Association and more. Participants have the chance to select up to five beneficiary organizations when they register.
Climate Ride cycling events are known as ‘green conferences on wheels’ because participants pedal 60-70 miles each day, and then attend inspiring speaking events each evening along the route on topics like conservation, public health, renewable technology, and climate. Full carbon offsets for the participants, high-MPG support vehicles, and low-waste catering are a few of the innovative measures that Climate Ride has successfully implemented.
Each participant pays a registration fee of $100 and then raises at least $2,800 to participate in Climate Ride cycling events. Registration includes a personal fundraising web page, training support and access to a nationwide network of Climate Riders and eco-heroes. The ride includes a cycling jersey, accommodations, luggage transfer, road support, meals, bike mechanics, expert guides and a nightly speaker series.
2016 Events:
Climate Ride Death Valley National Park, Feb. 27-March 3, 2016
Escape to one of the greatest surprises in the West and a 4-day cycling experience that simply cannot be duplicated anywhere else on the planet. This charitable cycling challenge explores the absolute best of Death Valley, a renown cyclist’s paradise with little car traffic, warm winter weather, and unparalleled desert vistas.
Climate Ride Saigon to Angkor Wat, March 15-23, 2016
This charitable challenge covers two countries from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in Vietnam to Cambodia’s stunning Angkor Wat temple complex and takes place over 9 days, showcasing the best of Southeast Asia while informing and shining a light on a region already being impacted by climate change.
Climate Ride California North Coast, May 22-26 – Humboldt to San Francisco
This 5-day gorgeous coastal ride begins in the Redwood Empire near Eureka and ventures into the famed Russian River Valley before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.
Glacier Ride, Glacier National Park, July 5-10
This 6-day charitable event spans two spectacular national parks and two countries — Glacier National Park on the U.S. side and Waterton National Park on the Canadian side — exploring some of the wildest country in the lower 48 and an ecosystem threatened by environmental degradation and climate change. Expert speakers include two Park Superintendents and Park Rangers. Glacier Ride benefits the Glacier National Park Conservancy.
Climate Ride San Juan Islands and Olympic Peninsula, August 4-9, 2016
This is an exciting international route that explores the newly-coined Salish Sea (which includes Puget Sound, the Georgia Strait, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca) while discovering the best of the Pacific Northwest. On this itinerary, we will start and end in Seattle and we’ll visit Washington State’s San Juan Islands, Canada’s Vancouver Island, and the spectacular Olympic National Park.
Climate Hike Glacier National Park, July 13-17 and August 3-7, 2016
This 5-day hike explores the iconic trails of the ‘Crown of the Continent’. You’ll see majestic 500-year old cedar forests under threat of wildfires and glaciers in fast retreat. Over four days of hiking, you’ll cover 40+ miles across the park — traversing aretes and high alpine mountain passes and glacier lakes and waterfalls.
Climate Ride Northeast, September 8-12 – Bar Harbor, Maine to Boston
This ride begins in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine where riders will pedal “Downeast” through Acadia National Park before experiencing Maine’s rocky coast. From there, we’ll travel south and visit lighthouses, sample local foods and ride through scenic coastal towns. Then, it’s an exciting ride following the route of the Founding Fathers for the celebratory end in Boston.
Climate Ride NYC-DC, September 17-21 – New York City to Washington D.C.
Climate Ride NYC-DC is a grand cycling adventure that connects two of the nation’s most important cities – New York and Washington, DC – by bicycle. From the exciting departure by ferry in Manhattan to the hero’s welcome and rally at the steps of the US Capitol.
Other Climate Ride Events
The Independent Challenge Program is a budding program that allows participants to participate in non Climate Ride organized events or create their own events, while still raising money for and awareness of their favorite green organizations. Participants get their own homepage, fundraising support and more to help them achieve their goals, and make a significant impact at their chosen beneficiary organizations.
More information about these events can be found at www.climateride.org.
About Climate Ride
Climate Ride is a nonprofit organization founded to change lives through sport and build an effective, citizen-based sustainability movement. Started as a five-day bike ride from NYC to Washington DC in 2008, Climate Ride has grown into an idea catalyst and leading funder of the environmental and active transportation movement. Climate Ride now convenes Climate Rides and Hikes across the country that bring together hundreds of people to share knowledge, raise funds and advance sustainability. Climate Ride speakers have included top sustainability thinkers, eco-heroes, and policy experts. Since 2008, Climate Ride has donated nearly $3.2 Million to sustainability and active transportation nonprofits.
In 2016, Climate Ride’s roster of events includes charitable rides and hikes exploring the California Coast, the Pacific Northwest, Bar Harbor to Boston, Glacier National Park, Death Valley National Park, NYC-DC, and Vietnam-Cambodia. Climate Ride also offers a “DIY” program called Independent Challenges, which empowers people to design their own events for the cause.
Climate Ride events raise money for more than 150 innovative organizations including: 350.org, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Alliance for Biking and Walking, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 1% for the Planet, B Lab, National Parks Conservation Association and bicycle coalitions around the nation. For more information, or to support a participant, visit www.climateride.org.
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