Put your name on the No. 24 with Drive to End Hunger – Hendrick Motorsports

Report on the “Ride with Jeff” Fundraising Initiative

Initiative Overview

A 2015 fundraising campaign, titled “Ride with Jeff,” was launched by AARP and the AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger initiative. The campaign leveraged the final full-time Sprint Cup Series season of driver Jeff Gordon to raise funds and awareness for the issue of food insecurity among senior citizens.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger

The program’s primary objective directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), which aims to achieve Zero Hunger.

• Target 2.1: The initiative focused on ending hunger and ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for a vulnerable population—older adults.
• Target 2.2: By providing resources for food, the campaign contributes to ending all forms of malnutrition, a critical issue for the health and well-being of seniors.

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty

The campaign’s efforts also align with SDG 1: No Poverty, as hunger and poverty are inextricably linked. By addressing food insecurity, the initiative helps alleviate a key dimension of poverty for a vulnerable demographic.

Fostering Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The “Ride with Jeff” campaign serves as a model for SDG 17, which encourages partnerships to achieve sustainable development.

• The collaboration between a non-profit entity (AARP Foundation), a corporate organization (AARP), and a public figure (Jeff Gordon) exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships outlined in Target 17.17.
• This partnership effectively mobilized resources and public attention to advance the goal of ending senior hunger.

Donor Engagement and Contribution Tiers

The initiative structured its fundraising model to encourage broad participation in achieving its SDG-aligned goals. Two primary tiers of contribution were established:

1. Tier One Contribution: A donation of $124 or more directly funded programs to feed seniors. In recognition, the donor’s name was placed on the hood of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS for the September race at New Hampshire.
2. Tier Two Contribution: A donation of $24 allowed for a donor’s name to be displayed on the No. 24 team’s pit wall banner, providing an accessible option for support.

As an additional incentive for the higher contribution tier, donors received a special edition T-shirt and a limited-edition hero card, further acknowledging their role in supporting the Drive to End Hunger.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The primary Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) addressed in the article is:

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

Explanation: The article is centered around the “Drive to End Hunger” initiative by AARP and AARP Foundation. The stated purpose of the fundraising campaign is to “help feed hungry seniors,” which directly aligns with the core mission of SDG 2 to end hunger and improve nutrition.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus, the following specific target under SDG 2 can be identified:

• Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.

Explanation: The article highlights a campaign aimed at helping “hungry seniors.” Seniors can be considered a vulnerable group, and the initiative’s goal of feeding them directly contributes to ensuring access to food for this specific demographic, which is a key component of Target 2.1.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention official SDG indicators, but it implies a financial indicator for measuring the resources mobilized for the cause:

• Implied Indicator: Funds raised to support programs for ending hunger among seniors.

Explanation: The article explicitly details the fundraising mechanism for the “Drive to End Hunger” initiative. It specifies donation amounts (“A gift of $124 or more” and “a gift of just $24”). The total amount of money collected through these donations serves as a direct and measurable indicator of the resources being mobilized to “help feed hungry seniors,” thereby tracking the effort and contribution towards achieving Target 2.1.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hendrickmotorsports.com