Dear Bike SLO County Community,

If you are seeing this, you likely own a bike, or two, or more. You understand and appreciate the beauty, grace, freedom, utility, and sheer pleasure of riding a bike.

On this Giving Tuesday, I want you to imagine what it would be like if you did not have access to a bike to ride to work, to the store, or just to exercise.

I want to share a story with you about John, one of our RideWell program recipients. Many years ago John had a challenging stretch of time in his life and was incarcerated for several years. As he was restarting his life, he found a place to live, was eating better, and began looking for employment here in SLO County. However, the place he lived was not accessible via public transportation and was too far to walk. In order to get anywhere quickly, John needed a car or bike, neither of which he had. He got rides from others, but that left him always relying on someone else. Without reliable transportation, it was difficult for him to find work. He heard about the Bike SLO County RideWell program, filled out an application, took the several-hour bike safety training, and received a bike, lock, helmet, and lights. When John reflected on receiving his RideWell bike, here is what he said, “Getting the bike from RideWell was a life-changing experience. The bike gave me the freedom to ride more than six miles to town to look for a job. I am eternally thankful to have received this gift of the bike!”

Well, there are many people in our community who would love to have a bike, but simply can not afford one, even a pre-owned one. That’s why I am writing this to you. Bike SLO County’s RideWell Program provides bikes to those less fortunate individuals who want to experience what you already know about bikes.

You have the ability to directly improve the life of a fellow San Luis Obispo County resident. Please consider committing this Giving Tuesday to a recurring gift of $25/ month to provide a bike, equipment, and safety gear to a neighbor in need. With each RideWell bike costing approximately $300 including parts, education, and other materials, a monthly or one-time gift from you will have a huge impact on neighbors like John.

Commit to your monthly donation to help neighbors in need.

Thank you for your support and Happy Holidays from all of us at Bike SLO County!