In addition to the fundraising aspect of the event, the purpose of riding outdoors was to drive awareness to the plight of the homeless, who each year are constantly subjected to the harsh New England February weather. So with that knowledge, we made our company t-shirts, filled our water bottles, and ventured out into the city, not really sure what to expect from the event. The only thing we knew was that we would be making a positive change for at least one family’s life.
The mission of HomeStart ICycle 2016 was to take even more steps towards ultimately solving the homelessness problem that Boston s has been facing for the past several decades. While homeless shelters do make quite a difference, they are simply a temporary fix for a long term problem. HomeStart’s goal is to wipe-out homelessness altogether. Since their inception in the early 1990’s HomeStart has placed over 7,000 families in permanent housing, raising an incredible amount of donations through programs like ICycle. Most of HomeStart’s clients are homeless single parents and children, victims of domestic violence, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Boingnet’s CEO Dennis Kelly having a great time at Homestart’s ICycle event
“We want to thank all of our friends, supporters, and especially the brave riders who made this year our most successful ICycle yet,” said HomeStart’s President & Executive Director Matt Pritchard.
This year’s ICycle event attracted people of all sorts. In addition to the expected swarms of businesspeople and newscasters, Pat the Patriot, Blades from the Bruins, and the beloved Wally from the Red Sox were also in attendance.
With a goal to exceed last year’s $140,000 donation by almost 40%, teams set out this year to raise an astounding $225,000 with matching gifts. Imagine how many people will be helped from this, considering 92 cents of every dollar donated goes to HomeStart’s core programs and services.
For every $726 someone raised, HomeStart can prevent a family from becoming homeless. In other words, just $726 can save a family from being evicted, and having to live in their car, a family member’s couch, or the street. For every $1,030 raised, HomeStart can move a family out of the shelter or off the street and into an apartment.
Throughout the day, a total of 323 riders were split between 26 teams. And although we here at Boingnet were pretty sore the next day, it was nothing compared to what the homeless have to deal with night in and night out.
Boingnet is extremely thankful for the opportunity to to give back to our community. HomeStart is truly an incredible organization, and they are making a extremely positive impact in Boston and the surrounding areas. We’re very proud to a part of their mission.
If you are interested in donating or learning more about HomeStart be sure to go to their website for more information.