Cyclist Starts Ride from Pennsylvania to California to Raise Awareness about Crisis in Yemen

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Jun 25, 2019, 10:00 ET

GARNET VALLEY, Pa., June 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyclist Carson Caldwell is kicking off his cross-country bike ride at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2019, at Jack King Park in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The bike ride is being done in association with Dallas-based Baitulmaal, which is listed in The New York Times article "Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis: How to Help" as a highly rated charity providing emergency relief in Yemen.

Carson Caldwell tells the story of how he came up with the idea of doing a cross-country bike ride to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Updates at bike4yemen.org

Caldwell learned about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen after doing an internet search for "which countries are starving." He said he was overcome with a sense of helplessness upon discovering the severity of the crisis.

"I really feel a sense of obligation to try to do something to help," Caldwell said. "I believe if we all band together and unite, we can make a very meaningful difference for the children and families suffering in Yemen today."

The New York Times is calling the situation in Yemen "the world's worst humanitarian crisis" with 22 million Yemenis in urgent need of humanitarian aid. More than 85,000 children have already starved to death and 8 million Yemenis are on the verge of starvation. The conflict has also pushed 32 percent of its provinces into a heightened risk of falling into famine.

Caldwell plans to ride his bicycle from Pennsylvania to California with several stops along the way. He hopes to meet with supporters while raising awareness and funds for humanitarian relief. Donations will be used to send food and other humanitarian aid to people in Yemen.

People can follow his journey online at bike4yemen.org and use #bike4yemen to help him raise awareness on social media.

About Baitulmaal, Inc.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Dallas, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya and Pakistan.