Former Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears NFL guard Ruben Brown will be making pit stops at Salvation Army programs across the country as part of the 11th annual Ruben Brown Motorcycle Run between July 15 and August 15. The 7,000 mile run will see Ruben riding and visiting nine major cities to raise awareness and funds for Salvation Army social service programs for youths and others in need. While on the road, Ruben will visit underprivileged kids, seniors and other clients of The Salvation Army as many Americans face continued economic challenges.

“Growing up in Salvation Army programs as a kid, I saw first-hand how people can have little or nothing at all, yet still have the opportunity to achieve something great,” said Ruben Brown, who played in the National Football League for 13 seasons before founding the Ruben Brown Foundation. “It’s more important than ever to help The Salvation Army raise awareness and needed funds so they can help as many people as possible.”

The Motorcycle Run will be celebrated by Ruben, Salvation Army supporters and benefactors and motorcycle enthusiasts through a variety of events and activities at stops during the ride.

Ruben will kick-off the Ride by joining The Salvation Army, city officials and local business supporters in Buffalo, NY at 12pm ET on July 15 for hot dogs and ice cream, and group prayer before the sendoff. Other cities where Ruben and others will rally in support of The Salvation Army include:

Milwaukee, WI: Between 5:30 and 7pm on August 11, Ruben will take part in a Meet and Greet Autograph Session at the Harley Museum’s monthly Bike Night meeting.

As a fundraiser for The Salvation Army youth programs, supporters of the Motorcycle Run can contribute a $10 gift via text message by texting the word “RUN” to 80888.*

In addition, supporters can give online at www.Salvation-ArmyUSA.org/RUN or www.RubensRun.com. Ninety percent of all funds donated will go to support the work of The Salvation Army; the remainder will subsidize transportation expenses associated with the Run. Donations will stay in the local community in which it was raised, helping The Salvation Army provide direct support to 30 million Americans each year through a variety of services including homeless shelters, food and meal programs and adult rehabilitation. Fans can follow Ruben’s progress at www.facebook.com/rubenbrownfoundation and www.twitter.com/rubenbrownFNDN.

Nationwide, The Salvation Army has seen increases in demand from old and new clients, as well as decreased donations from supporters. A Salvation Army report, “Feeding the Need 2011,” released earlier this year, found that 94 percent of Salvation Army food service programs saw an increase in requests for food assistance in 2010. At the same time, nearly 60 percent of Salvation Army programs saw donations remain flat or decline from all funding sources.

“Thanks to supporters like Ruben Brown who work tirelessly on behalf of The Salvation Army, we will continue to help families and individuals who have worked to overcome the recession,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. “The Motorcycle Run is a great opportunity for communities to look beyond the economy and focus on supporting our neighbors.”

Partnering with the Ruben Brown Foundation and The Salvation Army along the way will be the Center for American Military Music Opportunities (CAMMO), whose mission is to provide music therapy centers for service members and veterans of all ages to help restore emotional and physical well being following grueling deployments. CAMMO’s military musical artists will also be entertaining participants in select cities throughout the Run.

“During Ruben’s Motorcycle Run, military artists will play and sing their hearts out to support Ruben and The Salvation Army. This is a great opportunity to highlight the importance of raising awareness and support for families, seniors, veterans and youths nationwide,” said Cathie Lechareas, Co-Founder and Executive Director of CAMMO.

Since beginning the Motorcycle Run in 2001 in Buffalo, NY, Ruben has seen the event grow from a couple hundred riders, to a few thousand riders today. The Ruben Brown Motorcycle Run has become an increasingly popular event that has raised more than $500,000 for a number of charities including The Salvation Army, CAMMO, Dreams Take Flight, The Bo Henson Foundation, Buffalo Prep, Inner City youth football, Camp Good Days, The Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo and numerous high school and youth athletic programs.

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