$172.50

She’s back back back again! 

I LOVE this Bike Rally and I’m back for a 7th time, with a goal of raising $6.5k for local HIV services! (I’m proud to say that over the last 6 years my donors have helped me raise $32k!) This August hundreds of cyclists and volunteers will make the 6 day, 600km cycling journey from Toronto to Montreal to raise money for HIV organizations. It takes a village to get from our Village to Montreal’s!

I do this rally for my best friend, Mark Keller. When Mark was diagnosed as HIV+, the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA) was there to shepherd him through a lot of tough emotions and logistics. They connected Mark with his healthcare team, and provided a community hub that is a refuge from the stigma and assumptions HIV+ folks endure daily. In many ways, the PWA saved one my most important people, so I ride not only in thanks to them, but also to help others in accessing the PWA’s services. 

Those services connect HIV+ folks with healthcare teams, food and medication security, counselling, and a social group of peers who understand what it means to navigate the stigma attached to being HIV+. Since the pandemic their food bank attendance has tripled, and they have seen the need to provide financial assistance to seniors for housing costs, and have even launched a fund to provide Christmas gifts for HIV+ kids or the kids of HIV+ parents enduring financial hardship. In recent news, with Trump's devastating cuts to USAID funding for global HIV programs, we also are seeing an increase in HIV+ refugee claims, as people are forced to flee their homes so they can access the lifesaving medication needed to treat HIV.

So because there's a reason, there will always be a Ride. 

Every August we spend 6 days doing the 600km ride from Toronto to Montreal to raise money and give back. About a quarter of the PWA’s annual operations budget is raised by this rally, and in 2025 we brought in an incredible $1.56M! We celebrate our hard work but sadly it’s necessary since government funding for HIV services has lagged or remained frozen over the last decade. As a result, we’re seeing HIV make a comeback in certain communities. We need your help to fight HIV’s growth and to care for those affected. 

HIV is a treatable chronic disease, that has been woven into the queer community’s culture of caring. Please help if you can!Together our fantastic, empathetic community can build a gentler world!