The MMSF helps riders downed riders and their families all around Massachusetts.  Please take a look at a list of our Past Events to read about those in the riding community that we’ve helped.

The Massachusetts Motorcyclists Survivor’s Fund (MMSF) is a nonprofit organization of all volunteers. We raise funds to help local families of riders killed or seriously injured in accidents, and promote motorcycle safety and awareness to help reduce accidents, injuries and fatalities.

A ‘Survivor’s Fund’ – The Beginning

It’s reported Massachusetts Motorcyclists raise in excess of $700,000 each year for various charities. Some national causes, some local. Most are wonderful causes while having nothing to with motorcycling or riders.

The concept of a ‘fund’ to be available to families in need began with 3 or 4 riders sitting in a car in North Andover, on a cold day in December 2002, waiting for the casket of a rider recently killed to come out of the funeral home and head to the a cemetery.

Talk began about doing a ‘memorial run,’ in the rider’s memory, for his kid’s scholarship fund. The talk evolved into the surviving family’s need for immediate help with just the monthly household expenses until life insurance kicked in – and how lousy and tough it might be to scramble, in December, just to help the family, who was – or shortly would be – ‘in financial need.’

The discussion continued among the riders, all experienced at planning events & raising funds for other charities – that a fund ‘ought to’ exist for riders’ families to be able to tap into, when an accident happened, to help the family IMMEDIATELY at a minimum with their household expenses for a few months.  Some ‘breathing room’ while they grieved those first few months.

The “Massachusetts Motorcyclists Survivor’s Fund” was born.  Corporate papers were filed, and applications for its non-profit status were submitted. Eighteen (18) months later, in February 2004, the IRS APPROVED and GRANTED the MMSF its non-profit status. But it did not yet have ‘funding source’ to begin to help the families of riders.

First Funding Source Found!

There is an average of 42 motorcycle fatalities each year. If a budget of $3,000 per family in need was projected, then $126,000 would be needed.

Two of the original 3-4 riders sitting in car that cold December day were involved in ‘Nelson’s Ride,’ in Essex County, that organized an annual fund-raising event for Nelson’s Kid’s Scholarship Fund. After three years of ‘memorial ride,’ Nelson’s survivors said ‘thank you for helping out kids, now help other families of Essex County in need.’

The goal of Nelson’s Ride and the concept of a “Survivor’s Fund” blended.

In 2003 & 2004 funds raised from “Nelson’s Ride” began and continue to assist the surviving Essex County families of riders killed in accidents. The Survivor’s Fund needs to go ‘statewide’  Now, we need other riders in other Counties to ‘associate with’ the our Survivor’s Fund, to build the pool of funds that will be needed.  In order the Survivor’s Fund to help any family in need of Massachusetts riders killed in an accident, it needs to be funded.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles reports over the 1999-2003 five year period, motorcycle fatalities in the following Counties:

Barnstable – 7
Berkshire – 11
Bristol – 24
Dukes – 2
Essex – 20
Franklin – 5
Hampden – 22
Hampshire – 7
Middlesex – 37
Norfolk -15
Plymouth – 18
Suffolk -12
Worcester – 34
Total – 214 (divided by 5 years equals 42 per year)

We need leaders in our riding community to come forward, work with us to plan events in your area to raise funds to ‘fund the Survivor’s Fund.’

We need business who depend on riders to be points of contact for collecting donations, promoting the Survivor’s Fund, and sponsoring events that lead directly toward helping riders families in need.

And we need promoters and planners of other charity events to pledge a $1 or $2 of each rider’s entry donation, to be donated to the Massachusetts Motorcyclists Survivor’s Fund – and put the MMSF logo on their event flyers and websites showing the motorcycle community their event SUPPORTS RIDERS too!

And we need riders to begin LOOKING for this logo on Events and at the businesses – and if they don’t see it, ask ‘why’ the Event doesn’t support the families in need of riders killed in accidents!