Thursday, April 25, 2013

Free bikes and bike lessons for kids with special needs


AN AMAZING BIKE GIVEAWAY FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

For the second year in a row, the Friendship Circle is hosting a Great Bike Giveaway for kids with special needs, and they've partnered with major adaptive bike companies. You choose which of the five bikes you'd like to enter to win for your child, from now through May 12, then get 50 friends and family members to nominate you. Five runner-ups will each receive a $500 Gift Registry from Tadpole Adaptive towards an adaptive bike. Awesome-ness!

BIKE LESSONS FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

iCan Bike programs (formerly known as Lose The Training Wheels) are geared toward helping people with disabilities ages 8 and up learn to ride a two-wheeler. Kids can do bike camps, after-school programs and in-school programs around the U.S.

And in case you don't win a bike...
PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ADAPTIVE BIKES TO KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

National

Variety Kids on the Go! funds durable medical equipment for kids with physical challenges and financial need, including bikes along with wheelchairs, walkers, van lifts, house ramps, adaptive car seats and strollers. You apply through your local chapter of Variety The Children's Charity.

Athletes Helping Athletes has provided handcycles to more than 625 children with special needs since 2000; you can apply here.

By state

Connecticut 

The Freedom Program provides bikes to kids with special needs—145 to date!

Florida

Project Ride, through the Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton, Florida, gives new, modified adaptive bikes to kids ages 6 to 17.

Idaho

Bike For Kids is an Idaho fundraiser whose proceeds go toward providing adaptive bikes to kids with special needs; contact info for applying for a bike is here

Michigan

On Bike Day at Beaumont Children's Hospital in Michigan, 50 kids with special needs get custom-adapted bikes. 

Pennsylvania

The My Bike program by Variety the Children's Charity provides adaptive bikes to children with disabilities who live in the Southwest, Pennsylvania region.

GOOD ADAPTIVE BIKES FOR KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

For an outstanding list, see 20 Bikes, Trikes and Tandems For Children With Special Needs.

11 comments:

  1. Ellen this is awesome. We have participated through Beaumont Bike day and Daniel loves his bike!

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  2. Ellen this is great info. I am an adult with Cerebral Palsy. (I actually turn 32 on the 30th. Shudder) I live in St. Louis Missouri and have been looking for the past 10 yrs for a program that would provide me with an Adaptive Tricycle. Creative Mobility has trikes but on SSDI there is no way I can afford a $4,000 bike.

    There is so often the mistaken impression that C.P. is somehow a pediatric condition. Kids with C.P. grow up to be adults with C.P. who have some of the same continuing needs.

    Please help, is there ANYTHING out there that would help an adult with no extended family get a bike? I need exercise as much as anyone else.

    ~ C.J.

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    1. CJ, it's a shame you haven't been able to find a program for an adaptive bike. That cost is prohibitive. Have you ever considered doing a GoFundMe page to raise $ for one?

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  3. Thanks Ellen for this information. My daughter was born premature & because of some fine & gross motor skill delays, & fear she has yet to learn to ride a bike & she's 12. I am going to show this to my husband & see what he thinks... thank you for sharing!

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    1. They have all sorts of adaptive bikes now. And Max has experienced such an amazing sense of freedom on his. Definitely check them out!

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  4. I have an 8 year old son with cereal palsy but has never ride on a bike and we can't afford a special bike. Can someone help give me information. Thanks

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  6. To whom it may concern,
    My son is 11 years old. He is paralyzed on his left side and has other disabilities but loves riding a bike. He currently is unable to ride his bike because he's outgrown the one he had and due to our financial hardship we can not buy him one. I was hoping you could help him ride again or point me in the direction of someone who can help...he doesn't have many friends outside of school so this is really a way for him to enjoy himself.
    Thank you for your time
    Marie Rivera

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  7. Ellen, did you receive a grant for Max?

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    1. Hi! No, his bike was gifted to him through another Friendship Circle event, I wrote about it here—it was a real blessing. http://www.lovethatmax.com/2011/09/great-day-for-new-purple-bikeand.html

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Thanks for sharing!