I feel like there’s so much going around about these RICH (some beyond the term RICH...you probably have an idea) CEO’s just accumulating more and more wealth, but you don’t hear about the ones doing “good” with it. Not in this case. A Texas businessman recently finished a cross-country bicycle ride to raise money to give directly to people in need in rural communities. Matt King, CEO of Gobundance, bicycled about 2-thousand miles from Mexico to Canada in 12 days raising money toward his $1-million fundraising goal. King, who wasn’t previously a cyclist, trained for months for theRIDE. Along the route, he and his team stopped in small towns, listened to residents’ stories, and distributed financial gifts ranging from restaurant tips to larger donations.
Among those who received assistance was Amy Hernandez of Dilley, Texas, a substitute teacher whose 25-year-old son Seth has autism and epilepsy. After hearing her story, King presented her with a $20-thousand check to help purchase a more reliable vehicle. Hernandez says she was shocked by the gift and describes feeling heard and supported during their meeting.
Another recipient was Maci Johnson of Hico, Texas, whose young son had his leg amputated at birth. King and his team surprised Johnson and her husband with a $10-thousand check, which they plan to use toward a down payment on a larger home. By the end of the journey, King had raised more than $760-thousand and provided assistance to more than 70 individuals and organizations, with donations ranging from $100 to $75-thousand.