2010: A Great Year for AIDS Research

Time Magazine created a series of rankings for the "top 10" in countless categories. Check out their list of the Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2010.

While the list encompasses items ranging from an innovative Alzheimer's test to the new changes in general CPR/AED skills, the #1 Medical Breakthrough of 2010 was...groundbreaking research into antiretroviral drugs and their role as potential AIDS vaccines. 

Multiple studies of high-risk populations conducted in 2010 found that taking antiretroviral drugs on a regular basis significantly decreased a person's chances of contracting HIV when exposed. 

In fact, the risk of contracting HIV was reduced by around 44%. 

And among people who took the drug on a daily basis, the risk of contracting HIV was reduced by a whopping 73%. 

This should not be mistaken for an anti-HIV vaccine, as the drugs must be taken persistently and regularly in order for their effects to take hold. But it is tremendous progress in the hunt for a vaccine. 

Incredible. We hope that 2011 will bring even more monumental AIDS/HIV research.

Baltimore CENTERSTAGE's Night Out

In one week, on January 4th, consider attending Baltimore CENTERSTAGE's Night Out. 

CENTERSTAGE is a popular Baltimore theater, often considered "a pioneer in America's regional theater movement." 

The first Tuesday of each month is CENTERSTAGE's Night Out. Join members of the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgendered communities for a pre-show cocktail hour, featuring complimentary hors d'oeuvres—courtesy of Akbar—and select beverages. 

Bar tips always are donated to local charities, and on January 4th, they will be donated to Moveable Feast!

The show playing that evening is called "The Second City Does Baltimore," featuring Chicago-based comedians in the vein of Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. They will be performing a "wild and wacky show in Baltimore, for Baltimore, and about Baltimore."

Admission is free to subscribers; $5 for non-subscribers with tickets to the performance. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Komen for Avastin

Last week, we wrote about the FDA's changed recommendation for using the injectable drug Avastin in treatment of breast cancer. 

Quite soon after the FDA released its new conclusions, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation sent out a very interesting letter to its supporters. We support Komen's stance. Below, some excerpts:

...We know that for some number of women, Avastin works and works well.  We are hearing from women who are gaining not just months, but years, with a high quality of life, from this treatment. This decision puts insurance coverage for Avastin for these women at serious risk, leaving them with no options. The entire Komen family must join together to speak with one voice as patient advocates on behalf of those women who do in fact benefit from its use.  We simply cannot leave them and their families with no recourse. And we don’t intend to.

...Our mission now is three-fold: to ensure that women have access to the drug, that insurance coverage for Avastin remains in place for women who are already benefitting, and encourage the development of biomarkers to determine who will benefit most effectively from the drug.

To those ends, Komen is asking the manufacturer to continue including Avastin in its patient access programs that provide drugs at low or no cost to individuals. We are also asking insurance companies and public payers to continue covering the drug for the women who are benefiting. And we are encouraging the manufacturer to step up biomarker research so the drug can be targeted to patients who will benefit.

We are advocating for these women because this is central to our promise – to deliver the cures, and to protect everyone in our Komen family...

5% Day at Whole Foods, Harbor East

We are still in need of VOLUNTEERS AFTER 5:00PM for this event to pass out fliers, greet customers, man our info/donations table, help bag groceries, and talk to people about the Moveable Feast mission. If you are interested in volunteering, even for just an hour, please contact Special Events Manager Amanda Fisher at afisher@mfeast.org! 

In 2011, we're ringing in the New Year with a great fundraiser for Moveable Feast! 

One of our Ride For The Feast 2011 sponsors, the Whole Foods Market in Harbor East (1001 Fleet Street) will be holding a 5% Day to benefit us on Wednesday, January 5th. 

All day, 5% of net sales will be donated to Moveable Feast. Moveable Feast staff and volunteers will also be present with a table to collect donations.

Please consider dropping by and doing your post-holiday grocery shopping on January 5th! 

We will also be collecting food donations. For guidelines on donating food, please see flier below. 

click to enlarge

Christmas Eve at Moveable Feast

Moveable Feast really went all out this year for the holidays!

Executive Chef Damon Hersh and kitchen staff prepared delicious Christmas dinners for our clients. They were delivered this morning by Beth El Congregation volunteers.

Over the past few weeks, we've also been collecting toys for our children on service. Donated toys have streamed in from all sources, ranging from a drive held by Meadowbrook Swim Club...to a drive coordinated by Glenda Rider in honor of former Moveable Feast Exec. Director Myers...to a drive organized by Wayne Jenkins and other members of the Greater Baltimore Church of Christ...to individual toy donations by our supporters and volunteers.

Volunteers have also been creating holiday decorations, wrapping presents, decorating food delivery bags, and writing cards. The efforts of more than a hundred volunteers have helped to make this holiday season very successful for Moveable Feast.

Some of the most notable donated toys included:

• Michael Phelps's book, "How To Train with a T. Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals"
• Star Wars "The Clone Wars" action figures
• Toys and craft tower
• Light-up Snoopy holiday decoration
• Wal-Mart gift cards
• "The Tale of Desperaux" and other children's books
• Winter hats and gloves
• Blankets
• North Face sweaters
• stuffed Christmas stockings
• Applebee's gift cards

Thanks to everyone who helped make this holiday special for Moveable Feast and our clients. Happy Holidays from Moveable Feast!

Delivering Nutrition That Saves Lives

On Monday, we wrote about the cutbacks in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Tens of thousands of low-income Americans with HIV/AIDS depend on this program to receive their proper medications and remain healthy. The cutbacks will prevent many from receiving drugs on a consistent basis.

While the importance of drugs can never be overstated, the nutritious meals of Moveable Feast do their part to help combat HIV and AIDS in Maryland.


A Person Living With AIDS has an undue amount of stress related to their condition. They must deal with huge medical bills (see: Costs of HIV Treatment) and other incidental costs. Their immune systems are often compromised, placing them at greater risk for opportunistic infections and hospitalizations. They suffer from uncomfortable and painful side effects from the treatment, such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, aches/pain, constipation, and loss of appetite. They are at great risk for wasting syndrome, a severe loss in body mass.


Moveable Feast services help our clients cope with their condition - physically, mentally, and financially. Providing meals and groceries at no cost helps to defer some of the financial burden. It also relieves them of that extra task each day - finding breakfast, lunch, and dinner isn't always so simple, especially for one who is weakened by HIV/AIDS. And nutritious meals, tailored to a client's dietary needs, reduce the chance that the client will develop wasting syndrome or fall into an unhealthy body weight.


With these cutbacks in ADAP and the FDA's new uncertainty about the Avastin drug, Moveable Feast's stalwart dependability has never been so important to our clients.

Weekly Health Tip: Digestive Health during the Holidays, Part II

And now, here are the remaining four digestive health tips for the holiday season. Keep your insides all clean for the New Year!

1. Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages. Consumption of alcoholic beverages can worsen heartburn and diarrhea. Persons with alcohol-induced liver and pancreatic disease are at risk for recurrent symptoms if exposed to even small amounts of alcohol. It is very important that you resist the temptation to drink during the holidays and all other celebratory times. It can be helpful to avoid situations in which alcoholic beverages will play a large part in the celebration. Involving a sponsor or counselor can help. Of course, never drink and drive!
   
2. Don't overdo it. Stress can have a major impact on digestive diseases. For example, increased stress can trigger a flare in Crohn's disease, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Try to minimize stress as much as possible. Don't take on more things than you can handle. Get sufficient sleep.
   
3. Know when to self-medicate and when to seek advice. Symptoms for some digestive disease can be treated with over-the-counter medications. Antacids (for example, Tums and Maalox) and H2 blockers (for example, Zantac and Pepcid AC) can be used for breakthrough heartburn symptoms. Imodium can be used to treat diarrhea in irritable bowel syndrome. In other cases, self-treatment is not recommended; see your health care professional.
   
   
   
   
4. An ounce of prevention. Monitoring for potential problems is also important in digestive health, but even more so during the holidays. For patients with cirrhosis, checking body weight daily is very important. An increase of three pounds or more can be a sign of fluid overload. Informing your medical provider of such an increase in body weight can prevent an unnecessary visit or hospital stay. Patients with cirrhosis can also experience confusion (heptic encephalopathy) triggered by excess protein intake. Persistant diarrhea and/or rectal bleeding can be a sign of a flare of Crohn's disease and colitis. Alert your health care provider to these symptoms promptly for appropriate management.

Source: University of Maryland Medical Center

Weekly Health Tip: Digestive Health during the Holidays, Part I

This week's tip comes from the University of Maryland Medical Center, located just a few miles away from Moveable Feast headquarters in east Baltimore.

With the holidays looming, everyone looks forward to sumptious dinners, delicious desserts, and tasty drinks. But sometimes those great foods can lead to some uncomfortable digestive consequences. Follow these tips to avoid any holiday humbugs! 

Come back on Wednesday to see the other four tips!

1. Don't delay health maintenance. The holidays can be very busy. Nonetheless, it is very important that you keep regularly scheduled appointments with your physician and for lab tests. If you must miss a visit, contact your provider's office to schedule another appointment as soon as possible.
    
2. Mind your medications. It is very important that you maintain a regular schedule for your medications. Missing doses can increase symptoms or complications of digestive disorders.
    
3. Battle the bulge. Many food eaten over the holidays can worsen digestive symptoms. Beverages or foods that contain alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, peppermint, spearmint, coffee, carbonation, and acidic fruits and vegetables can trigger heartburn or acid reflux.
   
   A large intake of fluid and/or salt can cause fluid retention in patients with liver disease.
   
   Caffeine, alcohol, dairy products, acidic fruits and vegetables, spicy foods, and foods high in fiber can worsen diarrhea in patients with Crohn's disease, colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome. In patients with Crohn's disease, high fiber foods, such as uncooked vegetables, and dry over-cooked meat can trigger a bout of intestinal obstruction ("blockage"). Avoiding or limiting these foods and beverages can prevent symptoms.

Cutbacks to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program

Last week, the Washington Post reported that at least 19 states across the US are readily cutting back on ADAP services to save money.

The AIDS Drug Assistance Program is a government-funded program that provides drugs to people living with AIDS, free of charge. It is instituted in all fifty states and U.S. territories, and implemented using money from both the federal and state governments.

People living with AIDS and HIV often have to take a cocktail of multiple drugs, which can be very expensive. A single drug might cost as much as $20,000 per year! 

ADAP helps its clients get proper medications and stay healthy. "Making sure patients with HIV take their medications faithfully is a high priority of health care workers because it reduces the chance they will develop resistance to drugs and may also lower the risk of transmission."


But recent economic hard times have caused a huge influx of people into ADAP. In 2010, about 1,400 new people entered the program each month, as compared to only 700 per month in 2008. 

As a result, ADAP has taken measures to severely cut back, including: 

• Lowering annual income eligibility to as little as $21,000
• Covering fewer drugs
• Capping wait lists, which have jumped enrollment in the past year from a few hundred to a few thousand in some states. 

ADAP says that people on the wait lists receive free drugs from pharmaceutical companies, but it often isn't that easy. Every company has different rules and regulations for drugs and eligibility. It can be very hard to find a pharmaceutical company that will provide the exact cocktail of drugs needed by a particular patient. 

Budget woes of the state and federal governments make an easy solution seem unlikely.

NEXT: How Moveable Feast's nutritious meals help our clients.

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We found the list of states that have instituted cutbacks on WTOP: 

(AP) - States with waiting lists for their AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, as of Dec. 9:

• Arkansas: 5 people
• Florida: 2,396
• Georgia: 837
• Montana: 14
• North Carolina: 84
• Ohio: 374
• South Carolina: 298
• Virginia: 24
• Louisiana: 511

States that have cut their AIDS Drug Assistance Programs in other ways, as of Sept. 29.:

• Arizona: reduced drugs covered
• Arkansas: reduced drugs covered, lowered financial eligibility
• Colorado: reduced drugs covered
• Florida: reduced drugs covered
• Georgia: reduced drugs covered, implemented medical criteria
• Idaho: capped enrollment
• Illinois: reduced drugs covered, instituted monthly cap on expenditures
• Kentucky: reduced drugs covered
• Louisiana: discontinued reimbursement of some tests
• New Jersey: reduced drugs covered
• North Carolina: reduced drugs covered
• North Dakota: capped enrollment, instituted annual expenditure cap, lowered financial eligibility
• Ohio: reduced drugs covered, lowered financial eligibility
• South Carolina: instituted annual expenditure cap, lowered financial eligibility
• Utah: reduced drugs covered, lowered financial eligibility
• Virginia: reduced drugs covered
• Washington: instituted cost sharing with patients, reduced drugs covered (for uninsured patients only)
• Wyoming: capped enrollment, reduced drugs covered

Source: National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors

It's Sunday...Are you still shopping for holiday gifts?

Everyone's shopped out. And with the nippy weather outside, traversing more-than-questionable roads is not the most enticing prospect. If you still need to purchase a few holiday gifts, consider buying one of Team Atomic's "Atomic Bombshells" 2011 calendars. One hundred percent of proceeds will benefit Moveable Feast.

Team Atomic is a Ride For The Feast team. Working with photographer Mike Lee, who specializes in retro glamour photography, the Riders took twelve of the hottest pin-up calendar pictures ever. The limited-edition calendars went on sale around Black Friday and have been rapidly selling out since. 

They make perfect gifts, if not for the hilarious and unique photography, then for the simple fact that the purchase of each calendar - just $20.00 - can feed one of Moveable Feast's homebound clients for an entire week! That's 3 meals a day for 7 days in a week - twenty one nutritious, illness-fighting meals, delivered straight to their doorstep. 

Click to enlarge

The calendars are on sale in select bookstores in and around Baltimore, including Joe's Bike Shop, Atomic Books, Kiss-n-Makeup, or DoubleDutch Boutique. They are also sold online at www.TeamAtomic.org.

FDA's Recommendation Against Avastin

On Thursday, the FDA revoked its 2008 recommendation that Avastin (bevacizumab) be used to treat breast cancer.

Avastin had been approved as an injectable drug in 2008 by the Food and Drug Administration. It was thought that, when combined with chemotherapy, Avastin would hamper the breast cancer from metastasizing to other areas of the body. 

However, recent studies suggest that Avastin has no effect on the spread of cancer in the body. 

These studies, combined with the fact that Avastin can cause life-threatening side effects (high blood pressure, bleeding, hemorrhaging, heart attack, and/or cardiac arrest) led the FDA to stop recommending the drug for breast cancer patients. 

Nevertheless, there is opposition from many fronts. Numerous breast cancer patients attribute their well-being to the drug. And of course, the manufacturer, Genentech, will file an appeal and proceed through all that bureaucracy.

It's times like these when we're especially glad to be feeding our breast cancer clients. Even when vital drugs may be called into question, Moveable Feast services will never falter. In 2010, we did not have to turn away a single client asking for help.

Joy of Soy

Raw tofu - a delicious, refreshing snack,
whether hot or cold!

Soy beans, soy milk, soy protein bars, soy tofu, even soy soup...the list goes on. Soy isn't this popular for no reason - it's beneficial to your health! Here's why:

• Soybeans contain protein, all amino acids, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, B vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, and fiber - all essential nutrients to our well-being.
• Soy helps to reduce cholesterol.
• Soy helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Soy is naturally high in calcium, thereby strengthening bones and preventing musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoporosis. 
• For the ladies, soy can help alleviate uncomfortable menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.

Soy is very popular in American diets now, and regular supermarkets carry many products containing soy. These can include soy milk, soy patties, soy nuts, edamame, tofu, and miso soup.

Special Thanks to RE/MAX Advantage Realty's Morning of Giving!

On the morning of Saturday, December 4th, RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Richardson/LaGrant Group held a "Morning of Giving" at Moveable Feast headquarters.

Megan Richardson and Wendy LaGrant of RE/MAX organized this great event. Dozens of employees gathered at the Moveable Feast kitchen early on a blustery, cold Saturday morning. They helped prepare meals, decorated delivery bags with festive accents, and created holiday cards for our clients. 

Megan and Wendy also generously donated $25 per head to Moveable Feast! 

The day was so productive that: 

• Over $1100 was raised for Moveable Feast services
• 100 delivery bags were decorated
• 50 holiday cards were created
• Hundreds of carrots, celery, onions, and portions of meat were cut up as ingredients for meals
• Countless sandwiches were made and packed

The feedback from RE/MAX was very positive: "I know somewhere, sometime this week, we have made a difference in someone’s life who has been touched by Moveable Feast." All attendees found the morning to be fun, exciting, and deeply fulfilling. 

Moveable Feast kitchen staff member Brandon and Chef Damon Hersh also reported that they got a "TON" of work done, which was a great help to our organization during these busy holiday times. 

Thanks again to RE/MAX for a highly successful Morning of Giving.

To learn more about volunteering at Moveable Feast, please contact Tom Patrick, Volunteer Manager.

Moveable Feast Mentioned on Baltimore21201 Blog!

We've been mentioned by Baltimore 21201, a blog describing the goings-on in downtown Baltimore City. Check out the blog post about Moveable Feast - "Christmas Gifts That Will  Make a Difference in Baltimore, Part II." Thanks, Stephen, for including us in your holiday entries.

And continue to read Baltimore 21201 by clicking here!

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Costs of HIV Treatment

A recent Johns Hopkins study underscores the importance of Moveable Feast services.

The study found that delaying treatment for HIV can massively increase the costs of treatment and care. HIV-positive persons often delay treatment because they "don’t know they’re infected, don’t know how to access care or have other problems such as mental health issue or an addiction," say the JHU researchers.

But delaying treatment can take a serious toll on the pocketbook and on the healthcare system. In fact, costs for the first seven to eight years of initial treatment were higher by an average range of $27,275 to $61,615 for patients who delayed their treatment. That's a huge amount.

Delaying treatment also makes it more likely that a patient has a weakened immune system, making him more susceptible to random infections or cancer development.

Moveable Feast maintains an important role for Marylanders with HIV/AIDS. Regardless of whether or not a client was subject to delayed treatment, we know that the costs are high. We're here to help them fight their disease and boost their immune system by providing nutritious foods and dietitian counseling at no cost.

Squeaky-clean tactics for HIV testing

Here's a new one: a dentist in New York City is giving each patient a free HIV test when they come for their annual teeth cleaning. 

Dr. Catrise Austin, owner and founder of VIP Smiles, believes that "a patient is more likely to see their dentist, because we recommend that they come twice a year every six months...so the opportunity to identify a newly infected patient is greater."

Dr. Austin uses a test that adds a mere twenty minutes to the patient's visit and proves over 99% effective in identifying the HIV virus within the body. 

She also encourages her colleague dentists to incorporate the HIV test into their routines as well.

We at Moveable Feast think it's a great idea - part of stemming the spread of HIV is enabling as many people as possible to get tested on a regular basis.

Weekly Health Tip: Immune System Foods

Keep yourself from getting sick during the wintertime by eating these nutritious foods. Not only are they good for you, but they help to boost your immune system and protect you from nasty infections!

• Spinach and Leafy Greens: High in folate and iron.  Deficiency of folic acid results in a decreased immune response.  Popeye had the right idea!
  
• Carrots: Contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant, which can increase your T-cells & white blood cells. Antioxidants help slow down and repair damage to your body.  Eat fruits and vegetables for lots of antioxidants!
  
• Yogurt: Contains riboflavin.  A deficiency results in decreased antibody response.  Other foods high in riboflavin are beef, poultry, and cereal.
  
• Fish: Contain selenium, vitamin D, and vitamins B-6 and B-12).  A deficiency decreases functioning of neutrophils and T-cells, essential to your immune system.  Vitamin D supports bone health as well!  Eat orange roughy, tunafish, halibut, salmon, & rainbow trout.
  

Special Thanks to our MAC Volunteers

Have you bought a M.A.C Viva Glam lipstick lately? If so, then you've helped M.A.C Cosmetics donate money to the HIV/AIDS cause. 

M.A.C. Cosmetics is a strong sponsor of HIV/AIDS programs throughout the country, and fighting HIV/AIDS is intertwined with the company's mission and brands. M.A.C. sells a very popular Viva Glam lipstick, from which 100% of proceeds go to the M.A.C. AIDS Fund. This Fund, over the years, has collected $32-33 million for AIDS/HIV charities and programs. Even better, each year on World AIDS Day, M.A.C staff spend the workday volunteering in these organizations. 

M.A.C. boasts the highest retention rate of employees in the make-up industry, and attributes this successful statistic to the involvement of staff with the AIDS/HIV cause. 

Nancy Mahon, the Executive Director of the M.A.C AIDS Fund, says that it's important for employees to have a personal connection with the Viva Glam HIV cause. "We have staff participating at 144 sites today, and by the latest count over 2000 people are volunteering – painting rooms in London, chopping carrots in New York, and projects in Bali and Hawaii too. It’s really a global initiative."

Each year, M.A.C. sends a group of staff to Moveable Feast for a day of helping in the kitchen on World AIDS Day. This past Wednesday, December 1st, several dozen M.A.C. employees spent a great day in the kitchen, and even got to attend the culinary graduation.

Moveable Feast Participates in the Baltimore World AIDS Day Celebration

December 1st was World AIDS Day. The city of Baltimore saw numerous events in recognition of the occasion. 

In 2008, the Baltimore Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) found that Baltimore ranked #4 in the nation for HIV incidence. This meant that among every 100,000 people in Baltimore, 32 of them are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Moveable Feast helped to commemorate the day by participating in the Baltimore World AIDS Day Celebration, held at the Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church.

The event was well attended. Rob Carr, a photographer from the Associated Press, took a few pictures, which were later displayed online in various global World AIDS Day galleries. Check them out below!

Interpretive dancers perform during the celebration, which was themed "Celebrate, Remember, and Educate."

Attendees stand in a vigil outside Mount Vernon Place UMC.

For more information about the Baltimore World AIDS Day celebration, please visit the Facebook page.

Congratulations to the Culinary Program Graduates

Graduates with Instructor Aaron Purdie

On Wednesday, December 1st, we celebrated the graduation of our culinary training students, class of 2010.

The ceremony was begun with Executive Director Tom Bonderenko and Instructor Aaron Purdie saying a few words of congratulations to the graduates. The graduates then received certificates of completion of Moveable Feast's culinary training program. Moveable Feast staff, volunteers, and guests proudly looked on as the graduates made speeches. 

Next, everyone was treated to a delicious lunchtime meal prepared and served by the graduates, including dessert. It was a great testament to how far they have progressed, and how successful they will be in the future! 

Graduates included:

• Willie Green
• Loretta Robinson
• Ronald Stinchom
• Kevin Price
• Ernest Robinson
• Lynette Tyson
• Vanessa Slowe
• Michael Hinton
• Jimmie Johnson
• Stephan Pickett
• Chevone Ansbury
• Donnie Robinson
• Nathan Lounds

Moveable Feast and World AIDS Day

December 1st is recognized across the globe as World AIDS Day. Each year, Moveable Feast takes part in the World AIDS Day celebration events occurring in Baltimore. We do this to remember the 47 million people worldwide, including more than 1.7 million here at home in the United States, who have AIDS or who have died from AIDS.

Baltimore is home to 47% of the Maryland AIDS population, which almost tops 30,000 people. Across the country, Baltimore is ranked at #21 for population size, but #5 for HIV incidence.  Moveable Feast and the Partnership for Life are working to increase awareness of this very real problem in Baltimore.

This year, the Baltimore World AIDS Day Celebration occurs on December 1st at the Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, beginning at 6:30PM. The theme this year is “Celebrate, Remember and Educate.” Two hours of remembrance, performances, poetry, dances, and speakers will honor those who have died because of AIDS, or are currently afflicted by the disease.

Moveable Feast will be present at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church in an educational and support capacity. 

New to the program this year is a reception afterwards at the Walters Art Museum. During this reception, a very special mosaic mural will be unveiled. Members of the Greater Baltimore HIV community have created this mosaic in honor of people affected by HIV/AIDS.

The Baltimore World AIDS Day celebration starts at 6:30PM at the Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 10 E. Mt Vernon Place, Baltimore MD 21202. Free parking is available at the Peabody Garage, 600-block of St. Paul Street at Centre Street.

Ride for the Feast 2011: Website and Registration now LIVE

The Ride for the Feast is a two-day, 140-mile bicycle ride across the state of Maryland, over the weekend of May 14th-15th, 2011. The Ride for the Feast is now in its ninth year, and is Moveable Feast’s biggest fundraiser. Last year, 150 Riders participated, enabling the Ride to generate over a quarter of a million dollars, all of which went directly to client services.

In 2011, the Ride kicks off in a brand new location – Ocean City, Maryland! Yet the distance of the Ride remains at 140 miles – why? Moveable Feast’s furthest client resides at precisely 140 miles from our headquarters. Bicycling this distance commemorates our effort to reach any and all clients, regardless of their location.

The Ride for the Feast 2011 website gets launched today, and its sporting a whole new look. Registration is live, so anyone can register, sign up for a team, and get started on fundraising from family and friends. Each Rider commits to raising $1300 prior to the first day of the Ride.

Click here to register for the Ride for the Feast 2011.