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Trips for Kids

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Trips for Kids

Trips For Kids is an international non-profit community service organization that provides mountain bike outings, environmental education, bicycle mechanics training and earn-a-bike programs for underserved youth. Headquartered in Marin County, California, over 100,000 children have been served by over 80 Trips for Kids chapters in North America, Africa and Israel as of August 2013.

Contents

Marin County Flagship Program

Trips for Kids was founded in Marin County in 1988 by Marilyn Price, a social activist, environmentalist and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee. Price used the mountain bike to teach at-risk, underserved youth lessons in personal responsibility, achievement and environmental awareness through the development of practical skills.

In addition to mountain bike rides, the Trips for Kids Marin chapter also runs an after-school earn-a-bike/job training program and the Re-Cyclery bicycle thrift shop. Re-Cyclery sells donated new and re-conditioned bikes, parts, accessories and clothing to generate funds for the operation of the Marin chapter and to help support the international chapters.

International Chapter Formation and Support

Modeled after the flagship Marin County program, over 80 Trips for Kids chapters have been founded worldwide. Each Trips For Kids chapter is an independently operated non-profit organization with its own board of directors, and fundraising efforts.

Sponsors

Leaders in the outdoor and cycling industry help to support Trips for Kids through donations of equipment, parts and accessories which are sold through the Re-Cyclery Thrift shop. Proceeds of those sales along with the financial contributions of foundations, corporate giving programs and individual donors help support continued Trips for Kids operations and growth.

Awards

Awards received by the national organization and its local chapters include:

  • TFK Biddeford's Community Cycling Center received Maine's YMCA Youth Development Award for "commitment to nurturing the potential of every child and teen through youth development" (October 2012)
  • Clif Bar Award 2-Mile Challenge award for TFK’s commitment to bicycle advocacy and climate change (November 2010)
  • Community Leadership Award, President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (November 2010)
  • Trips For Kids Marin was a Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Spotlight Award Gold Medal Winner as presented by the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger (September 2009)
  • TFK Marin received the "Heart of Marin" Award for Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence (January 2008)
  • TFK Metro DC honored with the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Children's Health Recognition Award (2006)
  • TFK New Bedford received the Annual Community Award for Outstanding Civic Partner from The Greater New Bedford Women's Center (2006)
  • TFK New Bedford cited by the Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau for its innovative programs for bicycle and pedestrian safety (2006)
  • TFK Metro DC recognized as one of "the best small charities in Greater Washington" by the Catalogue for Philanthropy (2005)
  • TFK Charlotte received a citation from the Charlotte Police Department for work with kids.
  • TFK Marin received "e-chievement award", NPR (2001)
  • TFK Marin received Children's Services Award, Marin County Bicycle Coalition (December 2000)
  • TFK Marin received Waste Reduction Program of the Year, California Integrated Waste Management Board (1999)
  • TFKids Marin received the "Golden Rule Award" from J. C. Penney (1995)
  • TFK Marin received Model Program Award, International Mountain Bicycling Association (1994)

    • References

    Trips for Kids Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA