MANILA, Philippines—Christmas is a time for family and friends to come together for a traditional feast. Everyone is in a positive mood and celebrating the holidays. But, in reality, there are thousands of homeless communities in the Philippines that are cut off from the holiday festivities. This is where Bike Scouts, Pizza Hut, and a very special advocacy known as the Midnight Ride join together to make these homeless populations happy.
Before the Midnight Ride, there was Bike Scouts, a club of cyclists who joined together to help with relief and rescue operations in Tacloban after Typhoon Yolanda devastated the region. The club, now officially known as Bike Scouts Philippines, has expanded to over 150,000 members, carrying the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan in their hearts and becoming a force for good regular bikers who are also rescues and good Samaritans.
Among the Bike Scouts’ most established traditions is the Midnight Ride. Held yearly on Christmas Eve, volunteer Bike Scouts ride across the city to distribute food and gifts to the homeless, spreading holiday cheer to those who need it the most.
The annual ride drew the attention of one of the country’s most popular pizza chains – Pizza Hut. They had been looking for their own way to bring the spirit of Christmas to underprivileged communities. Through the efforts of Havas Ortega Group, Pizza Hut’s advertising and communication agency, Bike Scouts of the Philippines forged a unique partnership for the season – the Bike Scouts x Pizza Hut Midnight Ride Thru Delivery.
How this campaign came to be a true collaborative effort. The Bike Scouts were tasked to pin areas via Google Maps, where they came across transient communities in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. Over 141 pinned locations became markers for where the Bike Scouts x Pizza Hut Midnight Ride Thru Delivery delivered impromptu Noche Buena feasts to the homeless.
The pins also served as a way for the public to pay it forward during the season – sharing food and holiday cheer with those in need. The result was a sprinkling of happy gatherings across the city – bringing hope, love, and the spirit of Christmas to where there used to be none.
The previous year may have been difficult, but there is always a chance to put a smile on someone’s face, especially around the holiday season. All it needed was a group of volunteer riders and a pizza chain on one remarkable night to make it happen during one significant ride at midnight.
Follow the route of the Bike Scouts x Pizza Hut Midnight Ride Bike Thru Delivery on Google Maps through this link and make Christmas happen all throughout the year.