Final Ride Celebrates Three Decades of Impact, Raising Over $300 Million
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) and the Los Angeles LGBT Center announced that their long-running fundraising event, AIDS/LifeCycle, will come to an end after a final ride in June 2025. The event, which has raised over $300 million in its 30-year history, has been a major source of support for HIV services provided by both organizations.
“AIDS/LifeCycle has been a symbol of hope for people living with HIV and the LGBTQ+ community for more than three decades,” said Tyler TerMeer, Ph.D., CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. “As someone living with HIV, participating in this event for 16 years has been life-changing. We’ve built a strong community and made a significant impact on the HIV epidemic. While the ride will conclude, our commitment to ending the epidemic remains.”
Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, praised the event’s transformative effect. “Funds raised by this event have changed the course of the AIDS epidemic. HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was when the ride began, thanks to advances in treatment and preventative measures like PrEP. With every mile ridden, the AIDS/LifeCycle community has brought us closer to the end of AIDS.”
The decision to end the event follows a sharp rise in production costs and a decline in fundraising, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, AIDS/LifeCycle 2025 will proceed as planned. Organizers aim to make the final ride a tribute to the event’s legacy, to exceed its record fundraising of $17.8 million.
Since its inception, AIDS/LifeCycle has supported thousands of people living with HIV. However, much work remains. The HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately affect Black, Latine, and transgender individuals, with more than 30,000 new diagnoses annually in the U.S. Around 1.2 million people are currently living with HIV, and over half are over the age of 50, requiring specialized care.
Registration for AIDS/LifeCycle 2025 is open, with a cap of 2,500 cyclists and 600 volunteers. Organizers are focused on ensuring the final event commemorates the enduring impact of AIDS/LifeCycle while raising awareness about the continued fight against HIV/AIDS.
