CEO to Bike 1,500 Miles for Homeless Families
April 10, 2009
A stop in Columbia at the Family Shelter on April 24th
COLUMBIA, SC – April 10, 2009 – For two weeks in April and May, the CEO of Dancing Deer Baking Co. undertakes an extreme personal journey on behalf of 600,000 homeless families throughout the U.S. 52-year-old Trish Karter will ride her bicycle 1,500 miles over 15 days from Atlanta to Boston, stopping at homeless shelters along the way. She will bring the Deers’ tradition of gingerbread house making to the families temporarily living in the shelters, and spotlight initiatives to solve the problem and end homelessness. She plans on arriving at her company’s Boston headquarters just days before Mother’s Day 2009 in a symbolic gesture to the mostly single mothers who struggle to keep their homeless families together.
As an entrepreneur and single mother, I stand in awe and admiration of the hundreds of thousands of mothers across this country that wake up each morning not knowing if they’ll be able to provide a bed for their children that night, said Karter. This ride is my chance to hear these families’ stories first hand and to put a human face on tough statistics that will worsen in 2009. In a sinking economy, a company’s lifeline is not just its cash balance, but its mission. I encourage other business leaders to use their platforms as vehicles of social progress, which ultimately will create a better business climate and society for us all.
She will stop at the Family Shelter in Columbia on April 24th and will be joined at the City limits by cyclists from various local cycling groups organized by BikeColumbia. Cyclists are encouraged to join her along the route by downloading cue sheets that outline her daily routes from city to city or contacting BikeColumbia.
About Family Shelter
The Family Shelter is a non-profit agency located on Two Notch Road in Columbia. Established in 1979, Family Shelter’s mission is to provide emergency housing and supportive services to homeless families in order to enable them to transition to permanent housing and a stable family life. Family Shelter is the only shelter in the Midlands area exclusively for families.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, every year, 600,000 families with 1.35 million children experience homelessness in the U.S. and the problem is expected only to worsen in 2009 due to the nationwide economic crisis and housing crunch. The largest percentage of homeless children is under the age of five. Last year in Columbia, Richland School District One identified approximately 1,200 homeless students attending their schools.
About Dancing Deer
Dancing Deer is a company of people who are passionate about food and community. Known for all-natural cakes, cookies, brownies and baking mixes, the company has won many national awards and accolades for its distinctive products and innovative business practices. All employees are stakeholders in this women-owned enterprise. Sold in gourmet and natural food stores nationwide such as Whole Foods Market and Williams-Sonoma, the company also ships directly to consumers.
For more information, contact Jonathan Artz @ 771-7040 or [email protected].
