The ride begins in —d —h —m —s Oct 11, 2026 · Key West

Oct 11–16, 2026 · World Obesity Day → World Food Day

Every Child Has a Right to Real Food.

Chef Marques Clark is riding 700 miles — from the Southernmost Point of Key West to the Florida State Capitol — to put real food back on every child's plate. From the Keys to the Capital.

Donate to the Ride Sign the Petition
  • 700Miles
  • 6Days
  • 100KSignature goal

The Story

It started with a lunch tray.

Several years ago, Chef Marques Clark sat down to have lunch with his son at school. As his boy carried his tray to the table, Marques looked down at what was being served — and couldn't shake one question:

"If I work every day to feed my child healthy food at home, why should I expect anything less when I send him to school?"

The more he looked, the more he saw the same story across Florida — rising childhood obesity, diabetes, and food insecurity, in communities where real food was the exception, not the rule. That question became Yes Chef Village. Today, it's become a movement: Ride Hunger Out of Florida.

Meet Chef Marques →
Chef Marques Clark with his son, and the school lunch tray of packaged, processed food that started the movement

Why We Ride

This is what's on the tray.

The crisis facing Florida's children isn't an opinion. It's measured — and it's getting worse.

62%

of the calories kids eat now come from ultra-processed foods.

15%

of Florida children ages 6–17 are living with obesity.

1 in 6

Florida kids faces hunger and food insecurity.

+5%/yr

yearly rise in type 2 diabetes among young people.

Sources: CDC NCHS Data Brief (2025) · Trust for America's Health, State of Childhood Obesity · Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap · American Diabetes Association, SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth.

The Ride

From the Keys to the Capital

Six days. Seventeen stops. One 700-mile line up the spine of Florida — beginning on World Obesity Day and finishing with a public address at the State Capitol on World Food Day.

  1. 1
    Key West → Florida CityMarathon · Key Largo · the Overseas Highway
    135mi
  2. 2
    Florida City → West Palm BeachMiami · Fort Lauderdale · Boca Raton
    120mi
  3. 3
    West Palm Beach → OrlandoPort St. Lucie · Melbourne · camp at Wekiwa Springs
    135mi
  4. 4
    Orlando → GainesvilleOcala · schools & community visits
    115mi
  5. 5
    Gainesville → Live OakLake City · camp at Suwannee River State Park
    100mi
  6. 6
    Live Oak → Tallahassee 🏛️Madison · finish at the Capitol · 10 Demands speech
    95mi

See the official route stops & times — ride a leg with us →

The Platform

The 10 Demands

The policy platform behind the ride — a clear call to Florida's leaders. Tap any demand to read it.

"We are not just feeding children. We are protecting futures."

Sign the Petition

Put your name behind 100,000 voices.

We're calling on Florida's Governor, Legislature, Department of Education, and school boards to make child nutrition a public priority. Add your name to the demand for real food in every school.

Growing every dayGoal: 100,000
Sign the Petition on Change.org

Signing takes 30 seconds. Every name brings Florida closer to real food in every school.

A Yes Chef Village community teaching kitchen in action

The Long-Term Solution

The Mobile Nutrition & Culinary Lab

The ride raises awareness. The Lab creates change. Every dollar moves us toward a fully equipped rolling teaching kitchen that travels Florida year-round — bringing real food education directly into schools and neighborhoods.

  • Hands-on cooking & nutrition classes in schools
  • Family meal-planning & grocery-budgeting workshops
  • Youth culinary mentorship & food literacy
  • Community wellness & farm-to-table events

"The vision is not to feed people for a moment. It's to teach generations how to nourish themselves for a lifetime."

Help Build the Lab

What Your Gift Builds

Every dollar has a job.

$25

Fresh ingredients for a school cooking demo

$100

A family's hands-on nutrition workshop

$500

Safety gear & supplies for a full day of the ride

$2,500

Equipment toward the Mobile Culinary Lab

$0 raisedGoal: $50,000

Join the riders, sponsors, and families already fueling the journey.

Donate on GoFundMe
Portrait of Chef Marques Clark, founder of Yes Chef Village
Chef Marques Clark · Founder, Yes Chef Village

Meet the Chef

Chef Marques Clark

Chef. TEDx speaker. Educator. Community advocate. For more than a decade, Marques has used food as a tool to heal, teach, and transform — leading nutrition programs, culinary education, and youth development across Florida.

  • TEDx Speaker
  • 2026 Community Hero Award Recipient
  • Founder & Ambassador, Yes Chef Village
  • Creator of the Mobile Nutrition & Culinary Lab

In the media: NPR "The Zest" · UF Culinary Talk · The Comeback Story

Campaign Leadership Team

Meet the team behind the ride.

Behind every movement is a dedicated team. Ride Hunger Out of Florida is powered by professionals and volunteers committed to childhood nutrition, food security, and healthier futures for Florida's children.

Joe Martins, Ride Operations Manager

Ride Operations Manager

Joe Martins

Business Owner

Neelomie Cooper, Director of Finance

Director of Finance

Neelomie Cooper

Real Estate Agent

Akilah Walker, Director of Media & Storytelling

Director of Media & Storytelling

Akilah Walker

Wellness Educator

Jericka Knox, MHA, MHP, Director of Public Relations

Director of Public Relations

Jericka Knox MHA, MHP

Mental Health Advocate

Joe Eason, Support Crew Lead

Support Crew Lead

Joe Eason

Real Estate Developer

Get Involved

More than one way to ride with us.

You don't have to bike 700 miles to move this mission. Pick your lane.

Ride a Leg

Join Chef Marques for a stretch of the route — fans, followers, and riders welcome.

See the route →

Sign & Share

Add your name to the petition, then send it to three friends who care about kids' health.

Sign now →

Give In-Kind

Donate bikes, helmets, gear, hydration, printing, or video production.

Offer support →

Host a Stop

Bring the message to your school, church, or organization along the route.

Get in touch →

Questions

Good to know

Before You Go

Three ways to put real food on every child's plate.

The ride is the spark — you are the movement. Here's how to help today.

  1. 1

    Sign the Petition

    Add your name to our push for 100,000 signatures calling on Florida's leaders to act. It takes 30 seconds.

    Sign on Change.org
  2. 2

    Donate

    Fuel the 700-mile ride and help build the Mobile Nutrition & Culinary Lab.

    Give on GoFundMe
  3. 3

    Sponsor or Share

    Partner with the movement as a sponsor — or send this to three people who care about kids' health.

    Become a Sponsor