Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – July 14, 2025 – Rain isn’t stopping Hope Found NEA from spreading awareness for the fight to end human trafficking.
Last Saturday, on June 7, Hope Found NEA scheduled a Ride Against Trafficking event. The event intended to include bikers, cyclists and families in various rides throughout Craighead Forest Park, where attendees could ride together to learn about human trafficking, raise awareness and participate in a dice run to earn cash prizes. The event had been planned for months and gained various sponsors and eager participants; however, rain and thunderstorms brought the event to a halt.
“It has obviously rained on our parade today,” Lindsey Spencer, Hope Found marketing director, said in a social media post from the day. “We really hoped that Arkansas would do its thing and make a pivot last minute, but it didn’t.”
Planned group rides were canceled but Hope Found invited participants to come out on their own if they wished to ride, and the organization still served a barbecue plate lunch. Plates were $10 each and proceeds went towards Hope Found’s initiative to help end human trafficking.
To make up for the canceled events on June 7, the organization decided to host a virtual Ride Against Trafficking event instead. Lasting all month long until July 9, the virtual event gives participants the opportunity to ride whenever and wherever they want.
Participants will have the choice to log miles each time they ride, each week or all at once at the end of the month through a Google form found at hopefoundnea.org/events. To earn additional miles, participants can tag photos of themselves wearing Ride Against Trafficking merch on social media. Every social media post counts as an additional mile, which will be tallied on July 10.
There are prizes available for those who tally the most miles, including a Native Brew Works brewery tour, Harley Davidson beer glasses and a Ride Against Trafficking biker patch for the winning biker, and a $50 Gearhead Outfitters gift card for the winning cyclist. For children under 16, one male and one female will win a month of free martial arts lessons at Jonesboro Grappling Association and a jump pass to Ultimate Air.
Hope Found has already exceeded its goal of raising $15,000, with $15,990 being raised so far.
“When life rains on your parade, or in our case, your bike ride, it’s better to pivot than give up,” Spencer said. “We decided to adjust our view of what this event has always been and use our imaginations for what it could be.”
Spencer encourages everyone to come out to the Jonesboro Slow Row, which is a weekly event hosted by Native Brew Works each Thursday.
“It starts at Native Brew Works at 6:15 p.m., they can register for Ride Against Trafficking and get their shirt and water bottle on site for the next few weeks.” Those interested in participating in the event can sign up in person at Native Brew between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Registration is $20 and ends on June 30th. For more information, visit hope-found-of-northeast-arkansas.networkforgood.com.