A motorcycle ride is kicking off from Kamloops today looking to raise $50,000 for homeless youth in the city.

The “Ride to Reach” fundraiser will be donating to A Way Home Kamloops, and has already raised more than $29,000.

A Way Home Kamloops executive director Katherine McParland says that money will go to the “Safe Suites” project, which has been in the planning stages for several years.

“We’re currently looking for a location for our safe suites model. Our hope is to have at least a temporary safe suites program running by the fall. We don’t want another winter where young people are without a home. Last year we had three youth pass away who were on our waiting list, and so we know the consequences of doing nothing,” McParland says.

“Our hope is to have eight to 10 suites, but we would definitely take more because we know the need is quite significant. Just last year we had over 113 referrals of young people who said they needed housing and support. We really need to increase the continuum of housing for youth that meets their developmental needs and really helps them make that healthy transition to adulthood.”

For Ride to Reach, about 40 riders from the Kamloops area will stop in Valemount and Jasper before returning home tomorrow.

McParland says anyone looking to contribute for the fundraising campaign for Safe Suites can do so here.