Rappstar’s 4th Annual World Bicycle Relief Charity Challenge: Grand Total
The 4th Annual Rappstar Charity Challenge for World Bicycle Relief was the most successful ever, raising $59,027 by the midnight deadline on Nov. 4. That's enough to put over 440 bikes into the field. As I mentioned in the "Breaking News" piece, those 440 will be matched by an anonymous donor to World Bicycle Relief, meaning the end result of our efforts will be an additional 880 bikes in the field. With each bike being used by as many as 20 people in a village, that means we're directly impacting the lives of as many as 17,600 people. Wow. And if you think about all the people that those students, and farmers, and aid workers will reach throughout their lives… Well, I don't think there's any doubt about the "Power of Bicycles"!
I wasn't originally planning to add another article, but when I got the final tally from the Ironman Foundation, who deserve a special thank you for hosting and providing exemplary support and outreach on our behalf, that showed we'd exceeded our goal amount by almost 20%, I decided that was a special enough thing that it was worth putting down some thoughts.
In four years, thanks to the generosity of people throughout the industry – not only my sponsors, but people who simply wanted to give back and support this incredible cause, the generosity of people who gave not only their money but also their time to spread the word about this fundraiser, and the power of social media – Twitter and Facebook really are amazing, we've been able to raise roughly $160,000. And thanks to an incredible team of dedicated staff (and the support of the SRAM Corporation), a truly astounding percentage of that goes directly into the field. WBR has been recognized by Oprah Winfrey, Barron's, and others as one of the most effective charities in the world because of the minimal amount of administrative overhead. Close to $0.90 of every dollar goes directly into the field in the form of bicycles, parts and supplies, tool kits and training for mechanics, and more. Among NPOs, that level of direct pass through is virtually unprecedented.
When you give to World Bicycle Relief, you are directly touching someone in need by providing them with a bicycle. You don't have to worry that your donation is going to buy a desk chair, or a new computer, or… It's going to buy a bicycle. And that bicycle is then put in the hands of someone for whom it truly represents a life changing experience. Katie Bolling at WBR, who is really the person who empowers me to do this every year, talks about how on the day that a person receives a bicycle, the family and often the whole village treats it as a day of celebration. They wear their best clothes, make a special meal, and celebrate. Like a wedding, or a birth, the gift of a bicycle is a really big deal. And what I find so especially powerful about this is that these people aren't being given anything more than a tool. They have to pedal the bike to school, or to market, or to distribute medicine. They have to do the work. They have to use the bike as a way to change their life. They are given "means" – and very basic means at that – not "ends." But there's no question that these bikes do get used. The promise and hope is inside every one of these people. The bikes aren't magical. They just help let the magic out. And, thanks to you all, we're putting another 880 out there to help let even more magic out.
$59,027. Wow. And thank you.
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