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TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — This Sunday, December 1, on World AIDS Day, and the start of Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week, the 27^th annual Friends for Life Bike Rally launches its Holiday Season Fundraising Campaign. As local AIDS Service Organizations see a significant increase in demand for their life-changing services, the fundraiser aims to raise $50,000 in December – a month of generosity and giving from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

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The Friends for Life Bike Rally is Canada’s longest-distance annual charity cycling event from Toronto to Montreal, raising funds for the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation (PWA), AIDS Community Care Montreal (ACCM) and Trellis HIV & Community Care (formerly HIV/AIDS Regional Services – Kingston) to support to those living with HIV/AIDS and fight stigma. The upcoming Friends for Life Bike Rally aims to raise a total of $1.8M by the end of its next charity ride that runs from August 3 to 8, 2025.

Recent research shows that an estimated 1,833 new HIV infections occurred in Canada in 2022. This means that almost five people were infected with HIV in Canada every day. These are new infections that do not account for newcomers to Canada, immigrating with HIV – a population that makes up a large portion of new community members seeking HIV related services. Thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS rely on the vital services offered by PWA, ACCM and Trellis such as:

• Financial assistance
• Wellness programs
• Health and therapeutic care
• Social supports
• Harm reduction
• Food banks and more

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Unfortunately, on October 4, 2024, PWA – Canada’s largest – was forced to temporarily close its Financial Assistance Program until March 2025 due to the increased demand caused by inflation and the rise in cost of living. The agency has also reported a substantial increased demand for access to its food bank and essentials market services. Services offered by PWA, ACCM and Trellis ensure our at-risk communities have access to the resources they need to improve their health outcomes.

The Friends for Life Bike Rally and its volunteers, cyclists, and crew invite new and returning donors to show some extra generosity, compassion and understanding this holiday season. Your support for charitable causes that matter to you creates a ripple effect, spreading hope and making a meaningful difference in the lives of so many. Together, we can help foster positive change for those in need. These people could be your friends, family, loved ones, neighbours and/or colleagues.

Next Tuesday, December 3, also marks Giving Tuesday, the world’s largest generosity movement and opportunity to unleash the power of people to transform communities. Everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts. Those who are able are encouraged to make a tax-deductible donation to the Friends for Life Bike Rally.

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Here’s how you can make an impact:

• $40: Provides ten community members with transportation to medical appointments
• $60: Funds a peer-led support group for people living with HIV
• $100: Support a community member with access to medication
• $200: Ensures one family has groceries for a week

To learn more about the Friends for Life Bike Rally, visit BikeRally.org.

Quotes:
“On World AIDS Day on December 1 or Giving Tuesday on December 3, also known as the “opening day of giving season,” we invite folks to show support for people living with HIV/AIDS and make a tax-deductible donation to the Friends for Life Bike Rally. Your generosity over the holidays will help support the life-changing services offered by PWA, ACCM, and Trellis. When we work together, we ensure community members can access much-needed support, and build a stronger, more resilient community.”
– Ariel Benibgui (He/Him), Co-Chair, Friends for Life Bike Rally

“Each and every year, we proudly ride to make a positive difference because of /AIDS behind. The magic of the Bike Rally is magnificent. It’s a force and power of love, truth and healing where we care for the family of HIV/AIDS. Your donations make sure that clients can pay for things like their transit fare to access programs and services, the money to fix a broken phone, or ensure they get language support for essential health care so they can communicate with their doctor, and so much more.”
– Suzanne Paddock (She/Her), Executive Director, Toronto People with AIDS Foundation (PWA)

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“As a community member, the financial assistance I’ve received has been more than just support, it’s been a lifeline. It’s meant having the resources to get to essential appointments, access nutritious food and feel a sense of dignity and belonging. Your generosity doesn’t just provide services… It transforms lives, strengthens our community and gives people like me the opportunity to thrive.”
– Anonymous Community member, Toronto People with AIDS Foundation (PWA)

Quick Facts:

• The Friends for Life Bike Rally is Canada’s annual longest-distance cycling fundraiser in support of those living with HIV/AIDS
• Since 1999, the Friends for Life Bike Rally has:
  • Raised $27.5M+ to support those living with HIV/AIDS
  • Had 5,550 cyclists
  • 2,200 crew volunteers to support the ride
• In 2024, the Friends for Life Bike Rally raised $1.6M
• HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed more than 40 million lives with ongoing transmission globally
• The virus has infected 88.4 million people worldwide
• An estimated 65,270 people have HIV in Canada
  • An estimated 89 per cent are diagnosed
  • 85 per cent of those diagnosed are on treatment
  • 95 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression and cannot transmit the virus (undetectable=untransmutable)
• Toronto has seen a sustained increase in reported HIV infections since 2016 (with the exception being during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a decrease in sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing)

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Media Inquiries:

Image:

Hundreds of cyclists cross the finish line in Quebec after six days of riding from Toronto to Montreal for the 2024 Friends for Life Bike Rally, as the city saw its wettest day in history caused by rain from Tropical Storm Debby.

About Friends for Life Bike Rally: Founded in 1999, the Friends for Life Bike Rally is the largest annual cycling fundraiser in Canada that brings people together for an inclusive, supportive and life-changing challenge that inspires much-needed help for people living with HIV/AIDS. Funds raised by the annual charity event support three AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) along the cycling route, including the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation (PWA), AIDS Community Care Montreal (ACCM) and Trellis HIV & Community Care. In 2025, the Friends for Life Bike Rally will celebrate its 27^th anniversary and will take place from August 3 to 8. There are virtual, 100 km and 300 km options, as well as the classic 600 km ride to Montreal.

About Toronto People with AIDS Foundation (PWA): PWA is the founding agency of the Friends for Life Bike Rally. The agency was established in 1987 and is the largest practical service provider for people living with HIV/AIDS in Canada. The community-based organization offers a range of life-changing services, including direct financial assistance, wellness programs, health and therapeutic care, social supports, a food bank/essentials market and more. PWA aims to improve the quality of life for individuals affected by the HIV epidemic in Toronto and beyond. It is committed to reducing stigma and ensuring that individuals living with HIV/AIDS have access to the resources they need for better health outcomes.

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About AIDS Community Care Montreal (ACCM): ACCM is Quebec’s only HIV and sexual health community organization that provides education for prevention, treatment information, and support services to anglophone and allophone communities. The voices of our members are central to ACCM’s guidance, and we work in collaboration with our many communities to build a compassionate and caring response to HIV and hepatitis C.

About Trellis HIV & Community Care: Since 1988, Trellis HIV & Community Care (formerly HIV/AIDS Regional Services – Kingston) has been addressing the social determinants of health by providing practical supports, drop-in services, facilitating access to testing and primary health care for communities who are often marginalized and stigmatized. These include people living with HIV, the 2SLGBTQ+ community, people experiencing poverty and homelessness and people who use substances. Providing support while confronting stigma is at the core of what Trellis strives to do. Based in Kingston, Ontario, their service area is Belleville to the west, Brockville to the east, and Sharbot Lake to the north.

Stay connected: Follow the Friends for Life Bike Rally on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Proudly riding to make a positive difference.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/40a30ca7-5beb-457d-a65c-09c50656c653

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