This year, students at five schools in South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) will receive bicycles through the City of South San Francisco’s “Every Kid Deserve a Bike” (EKDAB) program.
The schools include Parkway Heights Middle School and Los Cerritos, Martin, Spruce, and Sunshine Gardens Elementary Schools.
The program, which launched in May 2022, was spearheaded by South San Francisco City Councilmember Eddie Flores and provides bikes, helmets, and training to students in South City at no cost.
Now, with added funding provided from sales tax collected through San Mateo County’s Measure K, EKDAB has the resources to reach even more people.
“Our community is a family,” said SSFUSD Superintendent Dr. Shawnterra Moore. “Many thanks to our friends at the City of South San Francisco, the County of San Mateo, the San Mateo County Office of Education, Bay Area Bike Mobile, Silicon Valley Bike Coalition, and everyone else involved!”
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According to Flores, the bike giveaway program serves a dual purpose.
“The first is to empower our community, especially our under-resourced, by providing youth with the means to play and exercise and get outdoors,” said Flores. “The second is to address an equity issue. The cost of purchasing and maintaining a bicycle can be extremely costly. This program eliminates the financial barrier and equips students with everything they need to begin their active biking lifestyle.”
Like last year, when fourth and fifth graders at Spruce and Martin Elementary Schools first received bicycles through EKDAB, students at Parkway Heights Middle School and Los Cerritos, Martin, Spruce, and Sunshine Gardens Elementary Schools were fitted for helmets.
Then they lined up to register their new bicycles and learned about bike safety and repair from Bay Area Bike Mobile.
Finally, they tried out their new bikes on a small obstacle course arranged by volunteers from Safe Moves and South San Francisco’s community emergency response team (CERT).
Some students had never ridden a bike before.
Others were off to the races.
“Everyone is so happy, because the district has given us these bicycles,” said sixth grader Alisson Ganuza. “Now I get to ride with my little brother.”
For more information about the “Every Kid Deserves a Bike” program, visit: www.ssf.net/EKDAB