Charitable Causes are a Founding Principle

 

The Texas Irish Cycling Team is recognized as a tight-knit, well-organized and team-first cycling club. However, our proudest achievement, that is less well known, is the priority the Texas Irish Cycling Team and its sponsors place on fundraising for charitable causes. The Texas Irish was founded on the principle of being active in and giving back to the communities in which we live. Since our founding in 2006, members of the Texas Irish Cycling Team have raised over $1,200,000 for numerous local, national and international charities... more than $300,000 of which was raised during the past two years.

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2023 presents a new opportunity for our charitable endeavors through the creation of The Texas Irish Foundation (or, "TIF"), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Team recognized in recent years that it possesses a strong ability to raise funds for charitable causes from many different individuals. The Team's fundraising experience has evolved, and through the creation of TIF, we will expand our reach to a much broader universe of donors, thereby raising more money and making a greater impact than we can as individuals. We hope that you will join the Texas Irish Foundation in supporting the great charities for which we are passionate.

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Prior Recipients

 

Below are the charities the foundation funded in 2021 and 2022.

 

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Genesis Women's Shelter is a Dallas-based non-profit organization that provides crisis counseling, emergency shelter, and long-term supportive services to women who have been victims of domestic violence. They offer a variety of programs and services designed to meet the unique needs of each woman and her children.

 

Since its founding in 1986, Genesis Women's Shelter has helped more than 60,000 women and children escape the cycle of domestic violence. They are one of the largest and most comprehensive domestic violence shelters in North Texas, and they offer their services free of charge to all women and children in need.

 

The Texas Irish Foundation donated $50,000 toward their annual operating budget for their Early Childhood Center and they received a matching donation to our gift.

 

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CitySquare is a Dallas-based non-profit organization that provides a variety of programs and services designed to meet the needs of low-income residents in the city. Their mission is to fight poverty through innovative programs that help people meet their basic needs, improve their health and well-being, and build strong families and thriving communities.

 

Some of the programs and services offered by CitySquare include a food pantry, medical and dental clinics, job training and placement, after-school programs, tax preparation assistance, and much more.

 

The Texas Irish Foundation donated $50,000 toward their annual operating budget to source and deliver high-quality, fresh and healthy food to those in need thru their Mobile Food Pantry in South Dallas.

 

Bonton Farms

 

Bonton Farms is a Dallas-based non-profit organization that works to end poverty and food insecurity in urban areas. They do this by growing fresh produce, training farmers, and providing access to healthy food.

 

Bonton Farms was founded in 2011 by Daron Babcock. He was inspired to start the farm after working as a pastor in the Bonton neighborhood of South Dallas and seeing firsthand the struggles that residents there faced in getting access to healthy food.

 

Since its founding, Bonton Farms has grown to become one of the largest urban farms in the country. They now have three farm sites in South Dallas, and they provide fresh produce to over 1,000 families each week.

 

The Texas Irish Foundation made a donation toward its annual operating budget to help them expand its programs and reach more people in need.

 

Tip of the Spear

 

The Tip of the Spear is a Dallas-based non-profit organization that provides housing and support services to veterans who are struggling with homelessness. They offer a variety of programs designed to help veterans get back on their feet, including transitional housing, job training and placement, financial counseling, and more.

 

Since its founding in 2014, The Tip of the Spear has helped more than 500 veterans get off the streets and into stable housing. They are one of the leading organizations in Dallas working to combat veteran homelessness, and they have been recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs for their work.

 

The Texas Irish Foundation is proud to support The Tip of the Spear to assist veterans in times of need.

 

Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance

 

Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) is an international non-profit organization working to find treatments and a cure for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). FA is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects children and young adults. There is currently no cure for FA, and there are only limited treatments available.

 

The Texas Irish Foundation donated and participated the FARA charity ride to support their work on finding treatments and a cure for FA.

 

Peruvian American Medical Society

 

The Peruvian American Medical Society (PAMS) is a Dallas-based non-profit organization that provides medical and dental care to low-income and underserved populations in the city. They offer a variety of services, including primary and preventive care, women’s health services, mental health services, and more.

 

PAMS was founded in 2010 by a group of Peruvian-American doctors who wanted to give back to the community and help those in need. Since then, they have grown to become one of the largest free clinics in Dallas, serving over 3,000 patients each year.

 

The Texas Irish Foundation is proud to support PAMS. Irish teammate Dr. Pablo Uceda is a board member who annually returns to his home country of Peru for medical missions thru this organization.

 

Trekking for Thomas

 

Trekking for Thomas is a Dallas-based non-profit founded by Irish team member Brent Martinelli (whose son was diagnosed with Zellweger Spectrum Disorder in 2014) that supports the Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders.

 

Bikes for Uvalde

 

The Bikes for Uvalde program is a non-profit that donated over 800 brand-new bicycles to the children of Uvalde’s Robb Elementary to help them get outside for positive mental and physical wellness.

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As an accommodation to our donors, should you wish to support a single charity identified above with 100% of your donation, please indicate such organization in the comment section of your secure, online donation and we will allocate accordingly. Otherwise, your donation will be allocated amongst all of our 2022 beneficiaries as determined by TIF's Board of Directors.

 

100% of All Donations Go to Our Supported Charities

 

The Texas Irish Foundation operates free of overhead or administrative costs of any kind. Any and all incidental, maintenance or professional expenses associated with TIF will be borne by the Texas Irish Cycling Team and paid from membership dues and sponsorship funds collected. Accordingly, 100% of all donations raised by and for TIF (less any third-party transaction processing fees) will go to our identified charities.

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The Texas Irish Foundation has partnered with Donately, for its fundraising platform, and Network for Good, as its secure payment processor, to manage all of donation processing and reporting functions. As TIF is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donation is 100% tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. You will automatically receive an email receipt from Network for Good that meets the IRS requirements for a record of your donation.

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Thank you!

 

On behalf of all the members and sponsors of the Texas Irish Cycling Team and the TIF beneficiary organizations, we are incredibly grateful for your support of and your generous donation to The Texas Irish Foundation. Remember, many companies have employee gift matching programs; please check with your employer to determine if your TIF donation qualifies for employer matching.

 

Texas Irish Foundation (TIF) Board of Directors

 

The Texas Irish Foundation Board of Directors is made up of the following individuals:

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• Scott Carson

• Derry Burns

• David Hamer

• Jake Buckner

• Andy Duettra

• Eric Pinker

• Tony Long

 

Note: TIF periodically reviews the list of its beneficiaries and may, from time-to-time, add or remove recipients and/or or modify its allocation of funds amongst its beneficiaries.

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