FAQs

General

A:

The 2022 Sun Life Ride to Defeat Diabetes for JDRF is Canada’s premier team building event bringing together participants from across corporate Canada to challenge themselves, build camaraderie as a team, partake in some friendly competition and work towards the goal of ending type 1 diabetes (T1D). This October, let’s move work aside and move for a cure! 

A:

This year there are two ways to participate in the Sun Life Ride to Defeat Diabetes for JDRF depending on where you live and how you want to participate:  

In-person - Join us in Montreal on October 6, or in Toronto on October 13 for a Signature Ride and spin for a cure in-person with your colleagues.  

Virtually - Choose to participate virtually in a Spin, Sweat or Stretch class anytime between October 6 and October 13. Participate anytime, anywhere and in any way that works for you and your team. 

A:

Not at all! Whether you are participating at the in-person Ride or virtually, the Ride welcomes participants of all fitness levels. Set a pace that you are comfortable with to prevent health risks and injury.

A: We encourage teams to include a total of five team members.

In-Person Riders can expect to participate in a one-hour, fun and high energy event where each team member rides a stationary spin bike for eight minutes. 

For the virtual Spin, Sweat or Stretch session, your team can expect a 30-minute fitness session as part of a 50-minute-long program taught by professional fitness studios.
A: There is no minimum age to participate but we recommend those 18 and under to get parental permission before registering. 
A: If you have any questions, reach out to our Ride Support Team at 1.877.505.5373 or via email at ride@jdrf.ca.  

In-Person Rides: Toronto & Montreal

A:

The health and safety of our Riders, volunteers and staff is our top priority.

For our in-person Ride events our goal is to create a safe, inclusive environment for everyone. We will adhere to local and regional health guidelines in place at the time of the Ride, and ask that anyone not feeling well on the day of the event stay home. Though not mandatory, we are recommending that all those in attendance be fully vaccinated, and when in close quarters with others, wear a mask.

Additional precautions include: 

  • Allow for social distancing of teams - stationary bikes will be 2 metres apart
  • COVID screening QR code – all attendees will be asked to “check-in” and answer some brief screening questions
  • Cleaning protocol –cleaning cloths will be provided to allow riders to wipe down their bike after their ride, and bikes will be cleaned in between ride hours
  • Cohorts stay together - Teams (cohorts) will be encouraged to stay together
  • Maximize ventilation - Three of the four flaps of the tents will be open to maximize ventilation 

As health and safety protocols are continuously being updated, please watch for an update as part of your Day of Event email for the most current information about the protocols in place for your safety. 

If you have questions about the protocols in place for the Ride, please contact your Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or via phone at 1.877.505.5373.

A: If you are participating in-person in Toronto or Montreal, the event is scheduled to last about one hour.
A: If you are participating in person in Toronto or Montreal, JDRF will supply a stationary spin bike for you and your team. 
A: That’s great! CLICK HERE to sign up, learn more about volunteer opportunities and be connected to a member of our Volunteer & Community Engagement Team. 
A: With many payment options available, and to keep costs low, JDRF has decided to not accept cash or cheques at the in-person Rides in Toronto or Montreal, in order to direct more funds to research.
A:

JDRF has several secure methods to receive donations at the Ride. You can:  

  • Donate with a credit card or PayPal by clicking HERE

  • Enter any cash or cheques donations in the Offline Funds section of your Participant Centre  

  • Via e-transfer or EFT by contacting your Ride Support Team at 1.877.505.5373  or via email at ride@jdrf.ca.

  • You can contact our Ride Support Team via phone at 1.877.505.5373 to make a payment with your credit card.  

  • Or, visit our Offline Funds section below for more details how JDRF can assist you in processing cash and cheque pledges.   

Virtual Spin, Sweat or Stretch Session

A: The sessions will be available to view on-demand anytime between October 6 and October 13, so that you and your team can participate anytime and any place that suits your schedule. 
A: If you are participating virtually, our Spin, Sweat and Stretch classes are approximately 30 minutes and the event program runs for approximately 50 minutes. 
A: Yes! Both teams and individuals can participate between October 6 and October 13.
A: If you decide to Spin with us virtually, you will need a stationary bike. For Sweat and Stretch activities, a fitness mat can be used for your comfort but all you need is your team spirit!

Registration

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Click on the registration link in the top right of this screen and follow the prompts to register yourself and your Team! If you have any questions, reach out to our Ride Support Team at 1.877.505.5373 or via email at ride@jdrf.ca.

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There is no registration fee; however, the Ride is a key fundraising event for JDRF that helps drive our mission to accelerate the pace of T1D research. We encourage all participants to raise a minimum suggested amount of $150 per individual or $750 per team.

A:

No, you do not have to register your entire Team; however, we encourage all members of your Team to register online with their own email to ensure that they receive details about this year’s Ride.   

If you choose to register your Team Members, they will receive an email guiding them through the login process to take control of their account.   

Should you need help with registering Team members, please connect with our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or via phone at 1.877.505.5373.  

A: Click the register button on the top right of your screen, search for the Team you wish to join using the search box. Select your Team name, click "Join this Team", then follow the instructions to register!
A:

As a Team Captain, once you have registered and created your team, select Login at the top right of your screen and follow these steps: 

  • Click on “Email” on the navigation on the left of your screen 

  • Select the “Join My Team” message template 

  • Enter the email addresses of Team Members and an email will automatically be generated inviting them to register. Team Members can click on the link provided within the email and follow the steps to register. 

Fundraising

A: The Ride is a key fundraising event for JDRF that helps drive our mission to accelerate the pace of T1D research. We encourage all participants to raise a minimum suggested amount of $150 per individual or $750 per team.
A:

When you reach out to family, friends, and colleagues to support your fundraising efforts, being sensitive to what other people are feeling or experiencing right now is important. Share your connection to the Ride or T1D so people understand why the Ride is so important to you. Emphasize the need for donations to keep research moving forward and encourage people to give what they can.

A:

Great question! Click here to visit our Resource Page for resources like our Fundraising Toolkit, Fundraising Ideas, and more! 

A: We’re confident that every participant can reach the suggested $150 fundraising minimum and are pleased to offer support and advice so you can exceed this target!  
A:

While we encourage each participant to fundraise a minimum suggested amount of $150, we recognize that some teams will choose to fundraise as a team. The minimum suggested team fundraising amount is $750.  

Please note, however, that fundraising rewards are awarded based on revenue raised by individual participants only (not team fundraising or corporate matched revenue). 

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A PDF version of the pledge form and instructions on our offline donation process are available to download in our Fundraising Resources page. Should you have further questions, reach out to our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or 1.877.505.5373 .

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To see who sponsored you, login to your Participant Centre and click on “Donations” on the left-hand side menu. You will see a summary of the amount raised, your goal, the number of donations received and track to see which donations you’ve sent a personal thank you to. Use our Thank You email templates within the Participant Centre or create your own using our Blank template.

A: Absolutely, you can donate online here or contact our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or 1.877.505.5373.
A:

We encourage participants to submit their pledges before the date of their participation via our online fundraising system or through the offline funds process. Donations are accepted up until December 31st, 2022, however, to qualify for fundraising rewards, all donations must be received by November 4, 2022.

Should you have any questions, please contact a member of our Ride Support Team at 1.877.505.5373 or via email at ride@jdrf.ca

A: New in 2022, our Accelerators’ Club celebrates those individuals who have gone the extra mile for the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community by raising over $1000 to “accelerate” JDRF’s mission to find a cure for T1D. To learn more, visit the Accelerators’ Club page HERE.

Fundraising Rewards

A: Participants who raise $250 or more are eligible to receive fundraising rewards. You can learn more about our Fundraising Rewards program HERE. To be eligible for fundraising rewards, all fundraising dollars must be submitted to JDRF by November 4, 2022 but our donation site will remain open till the end of the year.
A:

Fundraising rewards for the Ride are awarded based on individual fundraising. For example, if a participant raises $250 and they are part of a team that raises an additional $600 in team fundraising activities, the participant is only entitled to receive fundraising rewards for the $250 raised as an individual.

A: JDRF pays for all fundraising rewards. To help JDRF direct more funds to research, participants can donate their prize back to JDRF. JDRF negotiates discounts on purchased prizes nationally.
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Fundraising rewards for the Ride are entirely paperless! Following the Ride, you will receive an email with instructions on how to select and redeem your e-gift card. To learn more, visit our Fundraising Rewards page.

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Thank you for your outstanding fundraising! Individuals are awarded a maximum of $500 in e-gift cards.

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Yes. Participants that qualify for an e-gift card will have the option to donate their e-gift card back to JDRF and direct more funds for research.  

To donate your e-gift card back, follow the prompts in the Fundraising Rewards email that will take you to an option to donate back your rewards. You will be emailed your tax receipt immediately once you have fully processed the request with our on-line system.  

Note: tax receipts will be issued in the name of the participant who qualified for the fundraising rewards and are non-transferable. 

Offline Funds

A:

JDRF has several secure methods to receive donations for the Ride. You can:  

  • Donate with a credit card or PayPal by clicking HERE    

  • Enter any cash or cheques donations in the Offline Funds section of your Participant Centre   

  • Via e-transfer or EFT by contacting your Ride Support Team at 1.877.505.5373​ or via email at ride@jdrf.ca.  

  • Or, you can contact our Ride Support Team via phone at 1.877.505.5373 to make a payment with your credit card.   

If you need any assistance, please reach out to a member of our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or via phone at 1.877.505.5373 and we’d be happy to help.    

A: Please reach out to a member of our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or via phone at 1.877.505.5373 and we’d be happy to help.  
A:

That's great! Log into your Participant Centre and enter the Offline Funds including complete donor information then either: 

  • Submit payment for these donations with your credit card. 

  • Mail a cheque and completed pledge form to us. JDRF’s mailing address is JDRF National Support Office, 235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 600, Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8. 

Once the offline pledge payment has been processed, your donors will be emailed a link to their tax receipt. 

A:

That’s easy! Simply complete the  pledge form and mail JDRF Canada a cheque with your total pledges on your form to JDRF National Support Office, 235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 600, Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8.  JDRF’s Finance Team will process your donation when it arrives. 

A:

That's great! Log into your Participant Centre and enter the donations to the Offline Funds section. 

  • Submit payment for these donations with your credit card. 

  • Mail a cheque and completed pledge form to us. JDRF’s mailing address is JDRF National Support Office, 235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 600, Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8. 

Once the offline pledge payment has been processed, your donors will be emailed a link to their tax receipt. 

A:

We’d be happy to help! Simply complete the pledge form and email it to finance@jdrf.ca or mail it to JDRF Canada at JDRF National Support Office, 235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 600, Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8. 

On the Pledge Form, you can indicate that the funds will be coming separately to JDRF.  

JDRF’s Finance Team will process your donation when it arrives.  

A:

Awesome! Log into your Participant Centre and enter the Offline Funds including complete donor information then either: 

  • Submit payment for these donations with your credit card. 

  • Mail a cheque and completed pledge form to us. JDRF’s mailing address is JDRF National Support Office, 235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 600, Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8. 

Once the offline pledge payment has been processed, your donors will be emailed a link to their tax receipt. 

A: So sorry to hear that! Please reach out to a member of our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or via phone at 1.877.505.5373 and we’d be happy to help.  
A: Cheques can be made payable to JDRF Canada. Thank you for your support!
A: You can download a Pledge Form HERE.
A: JDRF National Support Office, 235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 600, Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8
A: To download the pledge form, you will need to have Adobe on your computer. You can download adobe for free HERE but should you need additional assistance, please reach out to our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or call 1.877.505.5373.

Tax Receipts

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Online tax receipts will be issued immediately for all amounts to the email address provided during the online donation process.  

Offline tax receipts will be issued within six to ten weeks after the event for donations of $20 or more. To receive a tax receipt, the donor's name and address must be completed and legible on the pledge form. Tax receipts for credit card donations will be issued in the name of the cardholder. Corporate or company donations must include a contact name to direct the tax receipt to. For questions, contact our Ride Support Team at ride@jdrf.ca or via phone at 1.877.505.5373

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For additional tax receipts, requests for reprints and/or corrections, please contact general@jdrf.ca.

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Electronic tax receipts are sent in PDF format. If you currently do not have Adobe Reader on your computer, you will not be able to open the attachment. You can download Adobe Reader for free by clicking here. If you are still unable to open a tax receipt, please contact our Walk support team at ride@jdrf.ca or by phone at 1.877.505.5373.