Michael and Andrew Hyde finishing the Harpoon Point to Point 50 Mile Ride

15 and 13-year-olds Michael and Andrew Hyde spent their summer vacation fundraising to fight hunger through epic long-distance cycling adventures. If you haven’t heard the start to their inspiring story yet, you can read about it here. Now that they’ve finished their rides, it’s time for an update to the story –with an incredible twist ending.

At the end of July after putting in hundreds of miles of cycling and infinite hours of fundraising, Michael and Andrew were only $84 away from their goal of raising $5,000 to fight hunger in Vermont. These thoughtful, caring brothers used their passion and creativity to set an example for us all of how we can make a difference in the world and change lives. Their story inspired many and helped raise awareness about hunger in our communities. Even raising a fraction of their ambitious goal would have been an incredible feat. But here they were, nearly there!

And then something unbelievable happened.

Sometimes a good deed can inspire another person to take action, creating a ripple effect of positive change. In this case, the Hydes made a big splash that reached farther than they could have imagined.

Back in the spring, Foodbank supporter Lisa Rowell, had seen the Hyde boys’ story in Kernels, the Vermont Foodbank’s quarterly newsletter. While they were busy pedaling over mountains, she kept thinking about the amazing challenge they had taken on. She wanted them to know how important their mission was and that thoughtful, caring, ambitious people like them really can change the world.

So in July when she saw how close they were to their goal, she donated the last $84 to get them to $5,000. But she didn’t stop there. She committed to matching their funds raised, skyrocketing their total to an incredible $10,000!!

Generosity of this magnitude creates an impact that reaches beyond what we can imagine. This $10,000 will transform lives. It will help Vermont families access the healthy food we need to thrive. It will help ensure that all of us have the nourishment and strength we need to do amazing things. This gift also gives back in another way – it inspires. By setting an example of how we can all take action to build the world we want to live in, its ripples will continue to affect new, unexpected change and create a better world for us all.

We’ll leave you with this video that Michael and Andrew created to commemorate their Ride to Fight Hunger. It is an honor to celebrate these incredible people who are changing the world and doing it in exciting new ways!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIhy5IVCfEk&feature=youtu.be