Bike Class: Lessening the Transportation Gap
After many conversations with guests about their transportation woes, case manager Katey Lantto started an initiative to bring bicycles to the HTC.
Working with our amazing grant writer, Flossie, Katey helped conceptualize a program that would enable guests to learn the basics of bicycle maintenance and repair under the instruction of an expert mechanic over a series of 2 hour courses. Upon graduation, guests would earn a certificate of completion, and get to take their bikes along with a new lock, helmet, and lights provided by the program.
Since its inception in 2018, HTC has offered 14 classes and the bike program has become one of the Center’s cornerstone activities, helping provide 84 guests with critical transportation that has life-changing results.
As part of our grant promise, HTC relies on the generosity of our community to donate gently used bicycles and parts to keep this program going. Occasionally, our bikes need more TLC, and funding from our supporters helps us fill in the gaps to purchase items such as chains, lube, and tire patches to make sure we send our guests off safely and reliably onto their days.
If you’re interested in donating bicycles or parts, please contact us with a description and we can help coordinate the details. Thank you for your support!
Riding into a New Start
Our bike program has been off to a great start this year! In March, Tulane University donated 30 bicycles to our Center and April saw the graduation of ten new students from our bike class with more classes starting up in May! We caught up with Roger, a graduate of our most recent cohort who couldn’t have been more excited about his new bike.
Roger recently got a job as a maintenance man for a restaurant in Mid-City. He credits the bike to helping him land the job because he was able to tell his manager that he had access to transportation.
“This means so much to me. I have my uniform up here in this basket and my lunch fits strapped to the back. Now I can get to work on time. Thank you so much.”
Roger reports wanting to give back to the Center and volunteer his time helping others get on their feet. We are so thankful for his enthusiasm and wish him the best in his new job!
