Innovative Bike Safety Programs Empower Local Youth

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Over the summer, Public Health launched an initiative to promote bicycle safety among South Seattle and South King County residents, awarding $30,000 in grants to three remarkable nonprofit organizations — Cycle Therapy Racing, First Five Years & Beyond, and Bike Works – all of which have strong ties to South Seattle and South King County communities. Each organization received $10,000 to provide free bikes, helmets, locks, free bike maintenance, and bike safety education to youth and other residents. This initiative led to a healthier, happier, more active community.

Here is a spotlight on what they did this summer.

Cycle Therapy Racing

Cycle Therapy Racing is a volunteer nonprofit organization in Auburn that promotes youth bicycling as an avenue to mental health. They teach youth to ride bikes and provide the necessary tools — bicycles, helmets, and other safety gear. They used the grant funds to purchase ten new BMX bikes and 20 helmets and to subsidize the purchase of a trailer for storing and transporting bikes and other supplies.

Two kids, each on them on their bicycle at Cycle Therapy Park with playground equipment in the background. They are wearing helmets and casual attire. The bicycles are BMX. They are standing on grass, and there is a clear summer sky above them.
Two kids who took part in Cycle Therapy’s Camp pose for the camera.

“Our main focus is getting kids out on bikes with an emphasis on mental health as well as an introduction to BMX racing,” Cycle Therapy President Brent Azus said. “The partnership with the City of Auburn and the King County grant allowed us to host a free 6-week Bike Camp for kids this summer.”

Their six-week summer program serves 224 children. Cycle Therapy organizers and Auburn Parks & Rec staff taught children to ride without training wheels. Seven kids went home with bikes, ranging from balance bikes to full-size- BMX bikes, and 15 received new helmets.

First Five Years & Beyond

Based in South King County, First Five Years & Beyond provides parents with the skills, tools, and resources to support their children’s early education. Thanks to the grant, they expanded their educational offerings to include bicycle safety for the first time. With expert help from Bike Works, FFYB staff provided bike safety lessons, several group rides, and free bikes, helmets, and locks to 22 African immigrant and African American youth ages 5 – 13.

group of kids on bicycles, wearing helmets lined up in front of a colorful mural painted on a building’s exterior wall. The mural is vibrant and depicts various scenes, including landscapes and vehicles.
First Five Years and Beyond kids getting ready for a bike safety lesson.

Lois, one of the participants, said, “I learned about the Kent Interurban Trail, which is where I now go to ride my bike. Before this program, I gave up riding a bike because I live on a steep and discouraging hill.  As I learned about the trail, it gave me new joy for biking again.”

Some kids with little or no biking experience learned to ride a bike during the program. Others had not ridden in over two years, but this program allowed all the children to ride a bike this summer.

Bike Works

Bike Works is a nonprofit organization that promotes the bicycle as a vehicle for change to empower youth and build resilient communities. They used the grant to support their ongoing and successful BikeMobile and Bikes-for-All! (BFA) programs. During August and September, Bike Works made eight BikeMobile visits, serving 77 people, and gifted ten kids with free bikes and locks.

“This summer, we were able to take the BikeMobile out to different neighborhoods and provide free bike repair services to communities, youth, families, and especially kids,” Bike Works Education Coordinator Lena Kabeshita said. “We gave bikes for free and educated people on bicycle repair.  We can’t do our work without grants such as this one.”

A kid looks on as a Bike Works volunteer fixes his bike inside the mobile
A kid looks on as a Bike Works volunteer fixes his bike inside the mobile unit.

By providing free bike repair services in neighborhoods without bike shops and giving away bikes and safety gear such as helmets, Bike Works helped promote bicycle safety in South Seattle.

These three organizations’ programs have promoted bike safety among youth, helped build stronger connections within the community, and fostered partnerships for future collaborations.

To learn more about bike safety in King County, including resources in multiple languages, visit kingcounty.gov/bikesafety

Originally published 12/21/2023