Give The Gift of Hearing
Jacob’s Ride provides financial support to help a select number of patients who either have no health insurance coverage or otherwise cannot afford the cost of surgery, to receive cochlear implants.
Jacob's Ride for Hearing (JRFH) is a volunteer-only organization and has no employees. JRFH is a tax-exempt, charitable organization and is eligible to receive tax-deductible donations under IRS Code 501(c)(3); EIN #85-0932630
Brief History of Jacob’s Ride
Jacob Landis was born (1989) with normal hearing. Between the ages of two and nine Jacob went deaf. At age ten he received a cochlear implant which enabled verbal communication. Jacob did well in Middle School and High School.
Jacob attended the local community college for 3+ years - changing majors with no clear life or academic direction. In Fall 2012, Jacob decided to take a break from college and ride his bicycle to all 30 MLB stadiums during the 2013 baseball season. He believed that the 12,000 mile (six month) bike ride would allow adequate solitary time to figure out his academic direction.
Jacob hoped that his bike ride would raise money to help other hearing impaired individuals get cochlear implants.
On April 3, 2013 Jacob left the comforts of home and began to ride. Rain or shine, Up & Down the hills & mountains, tremendous heat and bitter cold, day-in & day-out. Jacob did ride to all 30 stadiums. At most of the stadiums he met dozens (and hundreds) of supporters in pre-game “meet & greets”, numerous TV station interviews, Jumbotron exposures, throwing out the ceremonial “First Pitch” and leading the entire crowd in “Take me out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch. Jacob’s Ride became a social media sensation.
In 2014 - 2022 Jacob rode his bike on several smaller rides - Pacific Ocean > Atlantic Ocean; Maryland minor league circuit (Bowie > Frederick > Aberdeen > Salisbury); to Altoona, PA; to Durham, NC. All totaled he has ridden nearly 20,000 miles, appeared and spoken at over 250 events in 40 States. (Of the 250+ events only 53 have been baseball games. The other 200+ events have been: medical/hospital teams, civic/community groups (Rotary, Lions, QUOTA, Optimist, Sertoma, Civitan, Elks), schools and camps for the hearing impaired, State highway departments, college engineering students, several Hearing Loss of America chapters, plus many more.
Jacob’s Ride for Hearing has provided financial assistance for two dozen cochlear implant surgeries.
