Wonderful opportunity. If there is a bikeshare program in the area, would they consider putting a rack onsite or nearby? Capital BikeShare in our area has a "CaBi for All" program that offers reduced price memberships for low-income individuals. That is sometimes a better fit (at least for adults) than donating bikes to shelter residents, especially as storage can be an issue in shelters, and shelter residents may not have an easy way to transport the bike as they transition into more permanent housing situations. I'm not sure I have any creative ideas for kids, though.

*Emily Gage*

*Executive Director, Phoenix Bikes*

909 S. Dinwiddie St., Arlington, VA 22204

www.phoenixbikes.org

Cell: 703-346-0035

Join us for Bikes & Bow Ties, the most bike-tastic event of the year! https://secure.qgiv.com/for/bikesandbowties2023tickets/event/bbt/

On Fri, Mar 24, 2023 at 11:01 AM wade--- via Thethinktank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:

We are looking for ideas related to providing bikes to adult and children residents of a homeless shelter?

An emergency family shelter recently opened in our community in a suburb outside of Boston. The shelter has 105 rooms and is designed to provide temporary housing for 3 to 5 days while more permanent housing is located; and for 2 – 4 months when more permanent housing isn’t readily available; and providing temporary housing for pregnant women and infants. The shelter is located in a former motel at the edge of a state highway. It is situated equidistant (2 miles) between two village centers, each with shopping and public transportation (commuter rail). There are sidewalks and busy local streets that connect the shelter to the villages. It's walkable and rideable. Getting to one of the village center requires crossing the state highway (there is a pedestrian crosswalk).

Our local collective reached out to the agency managing the shelter inquiring if there was an interest in bikes. Their response was, "There is a lot of logistics and some liability behind this that would take some thought."

True. I would like your thoughts and experiences.

Wade

The Bike Connector https://www.bikeconnector.org/ _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list -- thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe send an email to thethinktank-leave@lists.bikecollectives.org

Raleigh Community Kickstand (RCK) has been working with the local men's shelter for 3 years, providing bicycles to any resident who requests one.

Here are some thoughts/ details:

• The relationship started when RCK was contacted by the shelter

requesting bikes for their residents. They knew of us because we have been providing free bicycle repairs at the adjacent homeless services center once a month for 5 years.

• We provide bicycles that were donated to us by members of the

community and that were refurbished by one or more of our volunteers.

• We provide lights ($12/set) and a U-lock ($15-$20 per) with each bike

that we provide to a shelter resident. The funds generally come from donations we receive from the community, and we have received some grant funding as well.

• We provided a large commercial grade bike rack to the shelter, it had

been donated to RCK by an apartment complex that did not want it any more. We delivered the rack and teh municipal employees installed it.

• The shelter staff emails RCK with the name and height of a resident in

need of a bike. We generally deliver a bike/lights/lock within the next few days. The bikes are delivered to the shelter, received by the shelter staff and given to the resident by the shelter staff.

• The shelter has recently begun placing a durable plastic numbered tag

on each bike owned by a resident. Only bikes with these tags are allowed to be stored on the shelter property.

• RCK keeps one of the two keys that come with each U lock. If a

resident moves out of the shelter and leaves their bike behind, we can come unlock it, remove and refurbish the bike and make it available to the next resident.

• The bikes are generally used by shelter residents to get to work. We

sometimes get urgent requests where a resident is starting a job in the next day or two and needs a bike.

• RCK maintains 2 "loaner" bikes at the shelter, and the shelter staff

has the keys to these bikes. These bikes are available for residents wanting a bike for a specific day / task. These bikes are also given to residents who need a bike for work before RCK can deliver their bike.

• RCK has provided several floor pumps for shelter to keep behind the

front desk and make available to residents who need to pump their tires. These tend to last a few months before they break or disappear. RCK tends to get floor pumps donated with bikes so we are glad to give these to the shelter.

• The shelter is on a bus line, so it is not uncommon to see the bikes

go on the front of the city buses as the residents head out for the day.

• As previously mentioned, RCK provided free bicycle repairs to anyone

who requests them during our once a month repair event at the homeless services center next door to the shelter. Each month we service/repair several bikes of shelter residents who received bikes from us.

The program has been successful because of the commitment of the shelter staff. They tend to be overworked and understaffed, but still voluntarily take on this additional program and the work involved.

Let me know if you have any questions.

John

On Fri, Mar 24, 2023 at 11:02 AM wade--- via Thethinktank < thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:

We are looking for ideas related to providing bikes to adult and children residents of a homeless shelter?

An emergency family shelter recently opened in our community in a suburb outside of Boston. The shelter has 105 rooms and is designed to provide temporary housing for 3 to 5 days while more permanent housing is located; and for 2 – 4 months when more permanent housing isn’t readily available; and providing temporary housing for pregnant women and infants. The shelter is located in a former motel at the edge of a state highway. It is situated equidistant (2 miles) between two village centers, each with shopping and public transportation (commuter rail). There are sidewalks and busy local streets that connect the shelter to the villages. It's walkable and rideable. Getting to one of the village center requires crossing the state highway (there is a pedestrian crosswalk).

Our local collective reached out to the agency managing the shelter inquiring if there was an interest in bikes. Their response was, "There is a lot of logistics and some liability behind this that would take some thought."

True. I would like your thoughts and experiences.

Wade

The Bike Connector https://www.bikeconnector.org/ _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list -- thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe send an email to thethinktank-leave@lists.bikecollectives.org