Biker Travels Cross Country To Raise Money For Two Food Banks & Bring Awareness To Food Insecurities

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic, the Maryland Food Bank has seen an 88 percent summation for families successful need. People who person ne'er been nutrient insecure, until now, are coming to the Food Bank for help.

AJ Robinson, an Arbutus/Catonsville native, decided to bring consciousness to the issues of nutrient insecurity by cycling crossed the state and raising wealth for the Maryland Food Bank and the Sunshine Division successful Oregon.

READ MORE: 'Enough Fentanyl To Kill More Than 200K People' 11 Alleged Narcotic Traffickers Facing Federal Indictment For Conspiracy & Drug Distribution

“It was precise humbling for maine to person to inquire radical for food,” Robinson told WJZ extracurricular the Maryland Food Bank arsenic helium finished up the past fewer 100 miles of the 3,600-mile trek.  He rides for radical who bash not person nutrient connected their array each time — without the assistance of nonprofits who, successful turn, request our help.

“I grew up successful an upper/middle-class location and I’ve ne'er been bare and I’ve ne'er had to privation for thing and unluckily there’s excessively galore radical successful our community, particularly successful Baltimore, Maryland that do,” Robinson said.

From Fort Stevens, Oregon to Ocean City, Maryland, helium biked — hitting 11 states. His 40-pound motorcycle was weighed down with 80 pounds of cogwheel truthful helium could campy on his route.

“The earthy quality we’ve seen on the mode has been truly unthinkable but honestly it’s been the radical I’ve met on the way. People successful tiny towns, radical who provided h2o for me, radical who person fixed maine meals erstwhile I was bare and didn’t person entree to resources,” Robinson said arsenic helium geared up to permission Catonsville and statesman his last travel to Ocean City. He is expected to get Friday.

He added that this thrust and the challenges helium faced gave him a deeper appreciation for the ngo helium is on. “It’s truly furthered my passionateness to assistance supply much enactment for the community, trying to stitchery enactment from everybody you can.”

READ MORE: Officials Gather One Year Later To Remember Victims Of Northwest Gas Explosion & Honor Responders

In total, helium has raised $13,500 of his $20,000 extremity acknowledgment to donations and generous gifts from his 12 sponsors. He plans to divided the magnitude betwixt The Sunshine Division, a nonprofit successful Oregon, on with the Maryland Food Bank erstwhile helium hits his goal.

He worked astatine the nutrient slope betwixt 2015-2016 and said the enactment has ever been beloved to his heart.

On Facebook, helium goes by AJ Robinson and you tin travel his travel connected Instagram.  To donate to the cause, sojourn his gofundme.

“You tin marque a ample standard interaction similar AJ did, but you tin besides marque a 5 dollar monthly outgo oregon one-time publication successful immoderate magnitude you tin provide. It is truly going to marque a quality for our families successful request for the months ahead,” said Maryland Food Bank Emily Hamsher Kindred, Director of Annual Funds.

Robinson volition permission Catonsville Wednesday and caput into Delaware earlier arriving successful Ocean City connected Friday astatine Pickles Pub — a sponsor since time one.

MORE NEWS: Public Library Branches In Harford County To Serve As Cooling Centers From Aug. 11-13

Rachael Cardin