We know how fortunate we are, and we want our trips to benefit in some way those less fortunate than us. We particularly want to support charities that touch the lives of people living in the regions we will be visiting, in a way, giving something back to our destinations.

Likewise, as you, the virtual "Moonriders", follow us on our journey, you can learn something about the region, live vicariously through us without all the discomfort of the road :-) and help people in dire need of your support.

You can learn about why we initially chose to honor these two organizations in our "How it all started" page.

We continue to support these organizations for different, yet complementary, reasons. Save the Children touches the lives of children living in the poorest parts of the world, including many places we will be visiting in Africa.

When the Moonriders rode across the Americas, we stopped at Save the Children centers in Nicaragua and in Bolivia, and we witnessed first-hand how money donated to this organization is well-spent directly helping deserving, sweet kids. Helping the kids was something particularly important to Jason Martin—to whom this website is dedicated.

In the case of the American Cancer Society, in addition to helping one of our riders in his battle with cancer, the ACS supports research that results in better treatment for cancer sufferers worldwide. It might seem that there is already plenty of support in the fight against cancer, but remember: Cancer is the number two cause of death in the U.S. (Over 500,000 deaths per year Center for Disease Control) Thus, there is still a lot of work to be done and a tremendous need for support.

So, we encourage you as you follow us on our adventure to reflect on your own good fortune and contribute to one (or both!) of these worthy charities. If you can't afford to donate money, donate your time. Volunteering is one of the most rewarding activities you can engage in.

Thanks to everyone for your support!