The 7th annual Riders Against Hunger is less than a month away, with motorcyclists from all over Ontario expected to show up and rev their engines and ride to provide healthy food for local residents living in poverty. 

Riders Against Hunger (RAH) is a motorcycle charity ride in support of Eden Food for Change on Saturday, August 19th, 2017. The ride begins and ends at a new location, the Garry W. Morden Centre (7535 Ninth Line between Argentia & Steeles in the northwest corner of Mississauga), and takes participants on a scenic and curvy 160km route through the Region of Peel. Many riders fundraise and ask for support from friends and family. Every $50 collected makes it possible for the Food Bank at Eden to provide a family of four with the food it needs for about a week.

The event is headed up by Bill Crawford, the former Executive Director of Eden Food for Change. An avid biker himself, Bill decided to create Riders Against Hunger in 2011. “I love being on my bike,” explains Bill, “and Eden Food for Change is a great organization that serves so many hungry families in the community, so I thought there would be a lot of other local bikers who would want to support the organization.”

In its first year, the event had 40 participants and over the years has continuously grown. Last year, there were more than 130 participants who took part in the ride. Through corporate sponsorships and individual fundraising efforts the whole event raised over $45,000.

This year, Riders Against Hunger has been chosen by the Oakville 680 chapter of the Southern Cruisers Riding Club as the SCRC 2017 Rider of the Year. This means that members from Southern Cruisers chapters all across Ontario will be encouraged to participate in this ride. Organizers expect to double the number of participants this year to over 300 bikes and hope to raise over $75,000!

Eden Food for Change has been serving Mississauga for more than 25 years. The organization serves people through its two Food Bank locations with a focus on providing fresh food, its Learning Kitchen and has a vision of Good Food For All!