Adopt-A-Family Bikes hit a new record this holiday season of cleaning, repairing, and distributing 358 used bikes to local nonprofits and schools.

The program started at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Danville 10 years ago but immediately became a community effort.  

Residents of the San Ramon Valley donate used bikes that volunteers then clean and repair. Funding for parts and 110 helmets came from local donors. The bikes are distributed to homeless, unemployed, and underemployed people within Contra Costa County.  Out of the 358 bikes, 183 of them went to children identified by their teachers as unlikely to receive any gifts this holiday season.

This incredible grass roots program could not be possible without the support of:

• Danville Rose Garden (for the shop space),
• Pat Abshire (delivery truck use for two months),
• Danville Bikes (discounted parts, volunteers and bikes),
• Pegasus Bikes (donated labor),
• California Pedaler (donated bikes),
• Boy Scouts from Troop 805 and 815 who volunteered, and
• A core of dedicated Adopt-A-Family Bikes volunteers.  

More information about the program can be found at www.adoptafamilybikes.org.

Local service organizations wishing to support the purchase of helmets can contact taniahd@comcast.net.

-Tania Hanson-De Young of the Adopt-A-Family Bike Team wrote this post