FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JBFCS HUDSON VALLEY RIDE:

WHAT TIME DOES IT START?

WHAT IS JBFCS?          

JBFCS is one of the nation's largest and most respected non-profit mental health and social service agencies.  With 175 programs operating in all five boroughs and beyond, we serve approximately 65,000 clients annually from all religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.  Every night of the year, we provide a home to one thousand individuals who sleep in our beds.  When members of our community without a safety net fall---we are there to catch them, comfort them and help them get back on their feet.  To learn more about the work of JBFCS visit our web site at http://www.jbfcs.org/. 
          
WHERE DOES THE MONEY RAISED GO TO?      

Support generated through the JBFCS Hudson Valley Ride will allow JBFCS to sustain, expand and enhance the programs that communities from as far north as Hawthorne to as far south as Staten Island (and everything in between) have come to depend upon.  Community Clinics, Day Treatment programs for at-risk youth, training for mental health professionals, residential treatment centers for adults with mental illness (AMI), the developmentally disabled, therapy in group and individual for single parents, home-bound elderly and anyone struggling with grief following the loss of a loved one---these are all the programs that require support beyond what is funded through government and insurance companies.  

WHAT ARE THE REGISTRATION FEES AND FUNDRAISING GOALS?    
          

• Corporations can register and pay for teams 
• You can withdraw your registration up until June 28th, three weeks before the ride.  After that time you will be accountable for your entry fee and fundraising minimum.    

HOW DOES REGISTRATION WORK?  HOW DO TEAMS WORK?    

If you are an employee, client, or volunteer of JBFCS, you can register for a discounted rate to ride by yourself or as part of a team.  The individual / corporate rate of $125 per registration applies if you are registering to ride by yourself or join a team. 

Whether riding individually or in teams, each rider is responsible for his or her own designated fundraising minimum.  Teams are able to set their own fundraising goals above and beyond the fundraising minimum, and compete against each other for prizes donated by our sponsors. 

All individuals can set up their own fundraising webpages.  If you join a team, your page becomes linked to the team fundraising page and the money you raise through your page counts towards the team fundraising goal.   
          
You don't have to have a fundraising page.  But you do have to register online.   
          

IF I CAN'T RIDE CAN MY DONORS GET THEIR MONEY BACK?

All donations are non-refundable. The money you’ve raised goes to the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS) .  Registration Fees are seen as donations and are also non-refundable.

CAN MY DONORS GET TAX RECEIPTS?

Most donors use either their credit card receipts or cancelled checks as donation receipts. Online donors will receive an e-mail confirming their gift and will also be directed to a printable confirmation page when their donation is complete.

DO YOU ACCEPT DONATIONS BY CHECK?

Yes. Checks should be made payable to JBFCS and should include the participant or team name you wish the donation to be attributed to on the check. You should mail check donations to: JBFCS, Attn: JBFCS Hudson Valley Ride,135 W. 50th Street, New York, NY 10020

HOW DO I GET THERE?

By train: Metro-North runs several trains from New York to Hawthorne. We will be supplying a free shuttle from the train station to the campus. Click here for train schedules.  

By car: Click here for printable/downloadable directions.  

CAN I RENT A BIKE?

Yes! Please click here to email Emily Brown for more information.

WHERE WE WILL BE RIDING?

We will not be posting the exact routes until much closer to the date of the ride, but the map below provides the general area through which we will be riding. The route, depending on the length you choose, will take riders through parts of Westchester and Putnam counties.  

View Larger Map

WHO ARE OUR TOUR DIRECTORS?

As Event Managers, Beth Katz and Bob Bagomolny have developed and organized rides, which have ranged in size from 100 riders to 30,000. In the past they have worked with The Missing and Exploited Children Foundation, as well as The 100 Mile Man Foundation, planning and overseeing their "City to Sands" ride, which raised one million dollars for underprivileged children in New York City, providing them with scholarships.

Beth and Bob are accomplished cyclists themselves, and are certified as teachers by the League of American Cycling Instructors. In addition to the rides that they themselves designed, the pair have been called-in to make pre-existing events run smoother. For instance, The MS Walk, the Bike New York/TD Bank Five Boro Bike Tour, and a host of smaller rides have all benefitted from Beth and Bob's management skills, increasing in efficiency and safety, as well as rider participation.

Rider safety and support are a priority at all their events. And, by personally managing the ambiance of the ride, with theme-inspired rest-stops, they create a fun and rewarding experience for the riders, surpassing their expectations. In preparation for their events, Beth and Bob work closely with caterers, providing gastronomical surprises such as hummus, cheesecake, baklava, spinach pies, focaccia bread, watermelon and ice cream. They are able to work within specific dietary guidelines, while still offering riders something interesting and tasty to snack on. 

Ultimately, the feeling of personal physical accomplishment, combined with the deep emotions that result in helping others--these are rewards in and of themselves. Beth and Bob are there to ensure that everything runs smoothly, and that riders have the support and encouragement to go that extra mile.