Description
Bike for the Brain (B4B), a 501(c)(3) organization, hosts an annual community bicycle ride event for mental health. B4B is held annually on Labor Day and is headquartered in the parking lot of Johnson County Mental Health Center at 6000 Lamar in Mission, KS. The event generally attracts over 500 people.
B4B uses proceeds from the event to provide grants to support Kansas City area not-for-profit organizations that help people affected by mental health issues and to fund the following year's event.
B4B is funded through sponsorships, donations, registration fees, and merchandise sales. In-kind donations of services and goods are also required for a successful event.
The event offers cycling routes of varying lengths to appeal to all cyclists. The cycling route goes through the Kansas City area, in both Kansas and Missouri. There are rest stops along the route. The event also includes a one mile Recovery Walk for mental health consumers and their supporters and a Tricycle Challenge. Non-profit organizations from around the metro are invited to participate in our Recovery Information Exchange in order to showcase their activities to the public. Delicious foods, donated prizes, music, and massages add to the festive atmosphere. Local television, radio, and print media cover the event and help to spread the word about B4B.
