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The Third Annual Jersey Shore Ride for Food Justice is back on Sept. 11, with a rain date of Sept. 18. 

All funds raised will be used to support Food Justice programs administered through Trinity church in Asbury Park, including Saturday Soup, the Food Pantry and the Women’s Hospitality Network. 

Click here for more information on the event, including how to participate, donate and become a sponsor.

The following is a statement on the event issued by Derek Minno Bloom, director of food justice at Trinity Church: 

During this pandemic the need for Food Justice has been greater than ever. 100% of the funds raised will be used to support local Food Justice programs including Saturday Soup, our Food Pantry, and Women’s Hospitality Network. The safety of our riders, volunteers, and supporters is our top priority. Therefore we are offering two options for this year’s ride.  Option one is a 15, 30, or 62 mile bike ride along the beautiful Jersey Shore that begins and ends at Trinity Church in Asbury Park. Social distancing procedures will be followed. Option two is a 15, 30, or 62 mile bike ride done on your own on the day of the ride and you share your photos and experiences with us. Of course with either of these options you are welcome to ride any distance that is comfortable for you. We invite riders of all levels to join as individuals or as a team. 

Food Justice at Trinity’s Mission- Our mission is based on living into our Baptismal Covenant to seek and serve Christ in all people, loving our neighbor as ourselves. We seek to be in solidarity with our neighbor as we help meet the immediate needs of hunger and housing in Asbury Park and to organize within our community to prevent hunger and injustice in the future.

Vision- As we strive for justice and peace among all people and seek to respect the dignity of every human being, we desire an Asbury Park that is dedicated to racial, economic, sexuality, gender, and environmental justice so that all its community members are empowered, have good affordable housing, high quality educations, and good jobs.

The Bike Ride benefits:

Our Saturday Community Meal (“Saturday Soup”) has been in operation for 31 years and serves a hot, healthy, hormone-free meal every week. We also have free acupuncture and social workers who are available for interested community members. 

Food Justice Work Program we pay community members $11 an hour to volunteer in the pantry and soup kitchen to honor their labor and to help them pay rent or buy extra food.

Our Food Pantry is open one day away for four hours makes sure everyone has access to fresh fruit, veggies, meats, eggs, dairy and more donated by many community organizations. 

The Women’s Hospitality Network was created at Trinity and is a multiracial network of churches that house women experiencing homelessness in the winter months. It is a transitional program that provides resources and case work to ensure that all the women have permanent housing by the end of the program. 

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