Bike Aid is an annual cross country bicycle ride to support global development, specifically to combat climate change. Each summer, cyclists bike from the West Coast to the East Coast of the USA to raise awareness of climate change, highlight solutions, meet with local communities and politicians while raising funds for environmental projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Bike Aid is a national multi-route cross country bikeathon for Global Development in the United States. Bike Aid was founded in 1986 by a small group of Stanford University Students as a program of the Overseas Development Network (ODN). ODN was a network of campus chapters across the U.S. that educated students on international development issues and provided internships in developing countries. ODN had at its peak over 50 campus chapters and hundreds of students involved. Against all odds, they created a national event that resonated throughout the country, focusing on the Ethiopian famine at that time and the need to eradicate hunger.
Bike Aid was the first multi-route cross country bikeathon in U.S. history. The very first Bike Aid in 1986 featured lobbying sessions at the U.S. Capitol hosted by Representative Mickey Leland(D), the Chair of the Select Committee on Hunger. The ride concluded at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, hosted by James Grant, the Director of UNICEF. The event garnered major local and national media coverage, including coverage by National Public Radio (NPR), the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, USA Today and all of the major television networks.
Meet the Team
Staff
Shaun Skelton
Director
Denis Mugisa
Program Officer
Yvonne Musinguzi
IT Program Officer