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Hope’s Corner served more in-need community members than ever before over the past two years, more than tripling the number of free meals it provided in 2021 compared to 2019. The upcoming Tour de Hope fundraiser, back after a two year hiatus, will help the organization continue to meet that unprecedented need.
The first annual Tour de Hope was held in 2019, a stationary bike competition among teams of three to five cyclists each to see which team can pedal the furthest over 60 minutes. When the pandemic hit, it forced Tour de Hope to hit the brakes for two years.
Meanwhile, the need for Hope’s Corner’s services – free meals, showers and laundry – increased substantially.
“We’re providing more than twice as many meals now than we provided prior to the pandemic,” said Mike Hacker, a volunteer and board member with the organization.
In 2019, Hope’s Corner provided 10,836 free meals. In 2020, that number shot up to nearly 25,000. In 2021, it rose again to 36,853.
“Part of that is because we did expand to the RV lots (the Mountain View Safe Parking program) and also distributed meals for the Day Workers Center too,” Hacker said. “… With the pandemic, we had more folks that had been furloughed or laid off. Things have gotten better over the last six months or so, but there’s still a huge need out there and we do our best to try to meet it.”
Tour de Hope will be held on July 21 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the El Camino YMCA in Mountain View, located at 2400 Grant Road. Funds raised will help Hope’s Corner continue to bridge those gaps in the social safety net. Hacker said the plan is to hold the event outdoors, barring any bad weather, and Mountain View City Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga will be emceeing.
“It’s not meant to be a hardcore competition, although there may be teams that take it pretty seriously,” Hacker said. “It’s intended to be a fun thing where we’ll have refreshments, we’ll have music, the sound system will be going, Margaret will encourage people and spur them on, and we’ll have raffles.”
A new feature for Tour de Hope this year is that two of the teams will include guests who come to Hope’s Corner for meals, giving other participants the chance to meet the folks benefitting from the event.
“That should be pretty fun, we’re working on filling out those teams,” Hacker said. “We’re trying to get businesses involved too. For them, it’s a great team building opportunity, especially with people working remotely so much over the past couple years, to bring people back together to participate in a fun activity (and) demonstrate their commitment to the community to show their support for Hope’s Corner.”
You don’t have to be part of a team to participate: individuals are welcomed too, and Hope’s Corner will help match folks up to make a team. Hacker added that if someone wants to support the fundraiser without participating, the organization welcomes donations. Hope’s Corner also relies on volunteers, and that anyone interested is encouraged to sign up to help at a weekly meal distribution.
“We’re virtually an all-volunteer nonprofit. We’ve got only two part-time employees; the rest of us are volunteers,” Hacker said. “Hope’s Corner is fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers.”
Head to the Hope’s Corner website to learn more about volunteer opportunities, the organization’s programs and meal distribution schedules.
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