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Ride Don’t Hide is EFR’s an annual, casual bike ride fundraiser to normalize seeking support for mental illness, because stigma causes many people to hide the issues they struggle with each day. Every dollar raised directly supports EFR’s mental health and substance abuse services, providing affordable access to those in need.
We hope you’ll support us in our mission to end the stigma and ensure cost is never a barrier to mental health and substance abuse treatment in our community.
Sunny skies and a brisk breeze greeted bicyclists the morning of Sunday, May 22, as we kicked off our sixth annual Ride Don’t Hide event with an in-person bike ride followed by a week-long virtual event from May 23-28! One hundred eight registered participants joined EFR volunteers as we rode to destigmatize seeking help for mental illness and addiction while raising funds to ensure cost is never a barrier to care.
A week of unpredictable weather didn’t deter riders during the virtual event. When thick clouds dampened the skies for a few days, they found creative ways to beat the rain by cycling indoors! Participants made a splash on social media by sporting bright blue shirts and posting smiling candids while sharing encouraging messaging and personal stories about why they ride.
Despite widespread divisiveness in our nation, your shared commitment to addressing the mental health crisis unites us in action. We were blown away by a new record number of individual donations – $1370 raised by 19 donors!
Thanks to our donors and sponsors, together we raised $21,770 to support EFR’s mental health and substance abuse counseling programs. In addition to $21,770 raised, in-kind donations given by our generous sponsors helped increase awareness of EFR’s services. Thanks to your advocacy and support, we can continue to offer counseling services to low-income individuals. This year we raised enough to cover 175 counseling sessions!
When we hide, mental health stays in the dark. When we ride, we ignite change, and together we continue to break the stigma and financial barriers to ensure everyone can access mental health services. A huge shout-out to our amazing sponsors listed below.
We are already gearing up for Ride Don’t Hide 2023! Please mark your calendars for an in-person ride on Sunday, May 21, 2023. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone!
We’re tracking our progress as we strive to raise $35,000 for EFR’s mental health and substance abuse counseling.
Help us reach our goal by donating or sponsoring!
Ride Don’t Hide 2023 will kick off with an in-person ride on Sunday, May 21. We will meet at Jethro’s BBQ Southside and ride along the Great Western Trail.
Ride Don’t Hide is our annual casual bike ride fundraiser that normalizes seeking support for mental illness, because stigma causes many people to hide the issues they struggle with each day.
Every dollar raised directly supports EFR’s mental health and substance abuse counseling services. Your donations enable us to offer these life-saving services on a sliding-fee scale, making them accessible to anyone regardless of financial status.
In-Person Event: You can choose from three distances along the Great Western Trail! The roundtrip distances are 8 miles, 15 miles, or 32 miles. You can view the routes below.
Throughout the pandemic and ongoing uncertainty, we’ve seen an increasing number of individuals grappling with new or worsened mental health conditions. For nearly one in three of these adults, affordability is the top barrier to care.
Without support, they are at greater risk of suicide and substance use disorders.
When you donate to Ride Don’t Hide, you’re supporting a movement to break the stigma and provide mental health care regardless of financial status. And with your support, we can continue to offer a lifeline to those in need.
Iowans live with a
mental illness
Iowans with mental illness don’t receive treatment due to cost
of Iowan youth with depression did not receive the mental health services they needed
Every gift we receive is significant in funding our efforts to support the mental health of individuals and families.
Below are optional donation levels for your gift. No amount is too small, and every dollar raised impacts the
thousands of lives we serve each year.
$1-25: Any gift amount will help a low-income person struggling with addiction receive an assessment through SAS (Substance Abuse Services) to access a substance abuse treatment program.
$50: Provides one hour of counseling for a student through EFR’s Student Assistance Program (SAP).
$100: Provides one hour of counseling service through EFR’s Outpatient Counseling Program.
$250: Supports EFR’s annual fundraiser Ride Don’t Hide, to benefit EFR’s mental health and substance abuse programs.
All donations are tax deductible as prescribed by law. Employee & Family Resources is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Any and all gifts are greatly appreciated as we strive to help people with life’s challenges.
Note: If you donate a gift of $100 or more, you will be listed in EFR’s annual report!
Annie, a young woman from a small town, sought counseling services through EFR's EAP after witnessing a tragic event on her way to work. At first, she thought she could work through it on her own. But when recurrent thoughts about the event continued to plague her, she decided to talk to a counselor. Annie connected with one of EFR’s counselors, who continued to work with her through outpatient treatment services. They discussed PTSD and the idea that the event would never “go away” but would forever alter her life. At the time, Annie didn’t realize that she could control how the incident impacted her moving forward. Learning different coping strategies for managing the thoughts lessened her anxiety, and soon she was able to identify her triggers and use self-talk to work through her emotions. Now Annie is working in her last few sessions and plans to graduate from therapy in a month. She is working towards earning a promotion at work and smiles a little brighter now, laughs a little harder, and worries a little less.
After grappling with a lack of self-confidence and struggling to make social connections at school, Sam sought support through the Student Assistance Program (SAP). Sam connected with a counselor through the SAP and decided to continue treatment through outpatient services. Together they worked to build confidence through positive self-talk. In his sessions, Sam learned new coping strategies to help lower social anxiety, enabling him to connect with his peers and grow his support system. With his newfound skills and abilities, Sam has gone from bi-weekly sessions with his counselor to sessions on an as-needed basis. Today, Sam has expressed he feels happy and significantly less anxious in social settings and has a more positive view of himself.
While adapting to life with a new baby, Billy, a young man in his mid-twenties, sought counseling through EFR's EAP. He and his fiancé agreed that he would stay home with the baby while she pursued her career, and Billy was struggling to adjust. The COVID pandemic and not seeing friends and family as often as he would like caused significant anxiety. Feeling trapped at home, he grieved the loss of the opportunity to proudly show his newborn son to the world. Billy wanted to support his family financially and desired to pursue a career selling his artwork. A talented artist, he lacked the motivation to do the work- sometimes it took all he had to get out of bed. Billy began meeting with one of the EAP counselors, who helped him define what he was passionate about and learn skills to manage his anxiety. After reaching out to his doctor, Billy started medications to aid his treatment. In time, he continued meeting with his counselor and began to peel back the layers of his pain. Through therapy, he identified the sources of his pain, finding ways to accept his past and create a new narrative for his future. Taking steps forward, he signed up for a life coach and began selling his art. Today, he continues his journey of self-love and building self-worth. Billy and his fiancé are now happily married, and together they are raising their son.
505 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600 Des Moines, IA 50309
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800-327-4692
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