SMART Ride’s final beneficiaries Jan. 14. (Screenshot via SMART Ride’s Facebook)
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | SMART Ride organizers revealed during their final check distribution party Jan. 14 that the organization raised a record $1,422,943 for AIDS service organizations in Florida last year.
SMART Ride 20’s 165-mile trek from Miami to Key West was held Nov. 17-18 but fundraising continued through Dec. 31. SMART Ride’s vision of “giving back 100% of every dollar its participants raise to AIDS service organizations throughout Florida” culminated with a 20-year fundraising total to $16,377,287.
The final beneficiaries included Empath Partners in Care in Tampa Bay, which received $253,609, and Miracle of Love in Central Florida, which received $223,477. Broward House in Wilton Manors received $237,004; Pridelines in Miami-Dade County received $203,880; Compass Community Center in Palm Beach County received $219, 460 and A.H. Monroe in Monroe County received $285,513.
View photos of the final checks below:
Representatives from each agency also revealed that a new fundraiser will take SMART Ride’s place later this year, Bike It For Life. E. Scott Pridgen, A.H. Monroe’s executive director, shared the news with party attendees.
“Even though SMART Ride the name is ending today, the ride is not,” he said. “The ride will continue with these agencies that you have with you today because we have a lot of work to do. HIV is still with us and until there’s an end to HIV, we will keep riding … we will keep pedaling until we have an end.”
Pridgen noted that the agencies will have further details to share in February. The inaugural Bike It For Life is scheduled for Nov. 23 in South Florida. View video here and read more below:
