All funds donated to ride for HOPE go directly to a HOPE funded project in the San Jose de Ocoa province of the Dominican Republic which was severely damaged last year by Hurricane Noel. Entire fields were swept off of mountain sides, irrigation systems were , and roads lost, leaving communities completely isolated. HOPE has made an initial comitment to provide four irrigation systems and eight community greenhouses to benifit people living in communities in this region. The total cost of this project is approximately $160 000, and ride for HOPE has committed to raise at least $50 000 for this project. This will allow familes to begin supporting themselves once again, as well as establish an income. This alone has the power to transform lives.

Many North Americans think of the Dominican Republic as a sunny resort-filled nation in the Caribbean. While it has been blessed with a wondrous natural beauty, there is an abundance of poverty that most westerners staying in resorts have never seen. A recent World Bank report on poverty in the Dominican Republic had this to say:

"The fraction of Dominicans with insufficient incomes to make [their needs] met increased by 50 percent and the number of poor almost doubled over the last 7 years. As such, in 2004, 42 out of 100 Dominicans were poor (incomes too low to afford the cost of a food basket of minimum caloric intake and basic non-food expenditures), of which 16 out of 100 people were extreme poor (incomes too low to afford the food basket of minimum caloric intake). Most of this increase resulted from the deep economic and financial crisis of 2003-2004, when the incidence of poverty increased by 50 percent and the number of extreme poor doubled."

In rural areas the levels of poverty are even worse, where poverty levels are as high as nearly 58% in the Dominican Republic. Through your support we can help many of these embattled citizens rebuild their lives so that they can once again support themselves and their families. None of the money collected goes towards Keenan and Jeff's trip - they are supporting themselves throughout their adventure - the donations go solely to those in need.

Please donate today online at the HOPE International website, and write ride for HOPE in the comments section to ensure that your donation goes towards our project in the Domincan Republic. Here, a secure server can take payments using your credit card. The only way that we can make a difference is through people like you. Will you help us?