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The Commission will consider volunteering at each of the Every Kid Deserves a Bike program events.
(Devin Stenhouse, DEI Officer)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended the Commission consider volunteering at each of the Every Kid Deserves a Bike program events.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Every Kid Deserves a Bike Program (EKDAB) aims to provide children from underserved neighborhoods and Title 1 schools with the equipment, skills, and knowledge to safely ride a bike and boost self-esteem and feelings of belonging. The more equipped children are to overcome adversity, the better they can perform academically. Owning a bicycle is an equity issue. The cost of owning and maintaining a bicycle can be extremely costly and for most families a luxury they cannot afford. Therefore, this program was created to bridge the equity gap and provide equitable access for children in South San Francisco to own and ride a bicycle.
The EKDAB Program was launched in 2022 in partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education - Safe Routes to School, civic organizations, and volunteers to connect children from low-income families with outdoor experiences and growth through free bicycles and support. In 2022, the EKDAB Program provided 150 bicycles, helmets, and locks to fourth grade students at Spruce Elementary School and fifth grade students at Martin Elementary School. The program expanded in 2023 to provide 350 bicycles, helmets, locks, bike pumps, and kickstands for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students of Spruce Elementary, Martin Elementary, Los Cerritos Elementary, Sunshine Gardens Elementary, and Parkway Heights Middle schools. In prior fiscal year, the EKDAB Program received generous donations from Genentech, Rotary Club, Kaiser Permanente, and the County of San Mateo.
For 2024, the EKDAB Program will provide another 350 bicycles, helmets, locks, bike pumps, and kickstands for the same grades and schools as the prior year plus an additional three elementary schools within the South San Francisco Unified School District. Unfortunately, many children who receive bicycles do not know how to ride bicycles. This elevates the importance of volunteers for this program. The non-profit organization, Safe Moves, will be present to offer bicycle safety courses and a bike rodeo, but they will also be available to help some children learn how to ride their bikes, but they will need additional assistance. Members from the C.E.R.T. team and commissioners from the S.S.F.’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee have volunteered in the past along with a few SSF police officers; however, more assistance has traditionally been needed. If at least a few, if not all commissioners from the Equity and Public Safety Commission were also on hand to help support these students learn how to ride their bicycles, more children will have the confidence to be able to successfully ride their bicycles in the future.
CONCLUSION
The Commission will consider volunteering at each of the Every Kid Deserves a Bike program events.