How you can help fight hunger in Franklin Township on April 28

The Franklin Food Bank’s Tour de Franklin Charity Bike Ride is returning in late April.

The 35th annual event will be held on Sunday, April 28 at Franklin High School. Up to 800 cyclists are attracted to the Tour de Franklin, the Franklin Food Bank’s largest annual fundraising event, which provides critical funding for its operations.

The event has grown into a spring tradition in Franklin, when avid cyclists, the community and sponsors join to fight local hunger. The Tour is the first cycling event of the season for many cyclists.

The Tour de Franklin consists of seven events in one day, including 62-, 40-, 25-, 10-, and 5-mile rides through the township, as well as a 10-mile ride and 1.5-mile walk-or-ride along the D&R Canal, offering something for casual riders and families as well as experienced cyclists. The rides are staggered throughout the morning with breakfast, lunch and snacks provided.

All participants are eligible for a free bike drawing. Everyone who fundraises $150 or more than $300 receives a special silver and black or gold and black T-shirt. To encourage fundraising, ThorLabs of Newton donated $10,000 as matching funds to bring people closer to their fundraising totals.

The Tour de Franklin started in 1989 when a small group of cyclists banded together to support the Franklin Food Bank, raising $1,500. The Tour continued annually since then and grew to become part of Somerset County’s community fiber and an anticipated annual ride among avid cyclists while raising funds.

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“We are thrilled to reach this 35-year milestone! While the Tour de Franklin has seen changes over the past 35 years, it has always been a fun day for everyone and a great way for cyclists and the community to support the Franklin Food Bank. We look forward to a great Tour event on April 28th!” said Tour de Franklin Chairperson Lisa Frey in a news release.

All proceeds raised by the Tour de Franklin directly support the Franklin Food Bank operations and the funding is critical to fight hunger in the community. The 2023 United Way ALICE report estimates more than 9,000 families in Franklin are experiencing food insecurity.

The Franklin Food Bank was recently awarded a $1 million grant from MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving Open Call Awards, recognizing the significant impact that it has had on the community it serves. The funds are earmarked for a larger location, as the Food Bank has outgrown the current facilities.

“The Franklin Food Bank plays a vital role in reducing food insecurity in the community through a variety of programs and partnerships,” said Franklin Food Bank Executive Director Derek Smith in the press release. “In 2023, the Food Bank distributed an estimated 2.75 million pounds of food and accommodated approximately 30,000 visits to the Client Choice Market and Drive-Through events. We are very appreciative of the funding that the Tour de Franklin provides to support these efforts.” Last year the Tour raised more than $120,000, directly supporting these efforts to fight hunger in the Franklin Township community.

To learn more or register for the Tour de Franklin, visit franklinfoodbank.org/tourdefranklin/ and follow @TheFranklinFoodBank on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com