April 29^th 9 – 1, Huntington Beach Pier Plaza

Ride your bike to the festival and spend a day of fun in the sun. Learn about bike safety, receive a free inspection, win great prizes, enjoy vendor expos and get your bike ready for national bike month.

Download Flyer Here!

Bikes Build Futures reconditioned bicycle business employs Build Futures’ homeless youth clients and provides them with the skills and support necessary to become employable, self-sufficient members of the community.

How can you help? You can donate:

Bus passes–The Orange County bus system is the only way our youth clients can get to jobs, housing and services. A 30-day bus pass is $55; a single-day pass is $3.60. This covers a substantial monthly cost for our program and youth.

Cell Phone and Minutes–One of the most important criteria for an effective program is the ability to communicate with our youth clients.  Cell phones enable us to contact youth to connect with jobs, housing, services and basic needs.  Many youth do not have access to a phone so we provide a cell phone with Donated phones and a family plan with Metro PCS.  We need $35 a month for one youth for the plan and used phones compatible with Metro PCS.  (List of manufacturers can be provided upon request.)

Rent Help – Getting kids off the street is important!  We need cash donations to help pay for a month’s rent. $600 to $700.

Locks – U shaped type for bikes given to the kids for transportation.

Fundraising Events–A significant source of funding for our program comes from private donations. We are in need of individuals or a group to organize, publicize and manage events to help us reach our annual budget needs.

Cash Donations–The average youth client requires subsidizing for bus passes, cell phones, and documentation such as birth certificate ($16), CA I.D ($26), student educational expenses ($65), books ($400), vocational training fees ($400) and basic needs. Any cash donations are greatly appreciated.

Storage Facilities– Bikes Build Futures, our social enterprise, requires about 1000 square feet of industrial storage space in Huntington Beach.  This enterprise employs the youth through training to repair gently used bikes giving them a vocational skill, earning a wage and receiving a bike for their transportation needs.  We are looking for donated storage for our donated bikes in the Huntington Beach area.

An 8’ x 10’ storage area is needed to accommodate donations of clothing, non-perishable food and hygiene products for our youth clients that would be accessible to our volunteers in the Huntington Beach area.

Food Cards–Hot meals are rare for our youth clients. Food cards from Subway, Burger King, McDonalds and other fast-food retailers allow our youth the opportunity for a value-driven meal. Increments of $10 to $50 are recommended.

Gift Cards–Basic needs expenses such as underwear, socks, personal items, soap, toothpaste, and first aid can add up for our youth clients. Gift card donations to Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl’s, etc. are greatly appreciated.

Laptop Computers–School and training sessions for our youth clients and volunteers often warrant computer use. Average cost for computer: $800.00. Laptop computers also allow youth to use the Internet at locations with free Wi-Fi to search for jobs and other resource services.

Sponsorship of Social Events–Tickets to the movies, sporting events, concerts or donations for picnics, pizza or swim parties, etc. provides positive social situations for our youth clients to have fun in a safe environment with individuals they trust. Any help in this area is greatly appreciated.

Van–Van transportation is needed to move bikes, clothes, furniture and food for outreach. A recognizable vehicle also represents safety to our youth clients versus random vehicles youth do not recognize and may not trust to approach.

• Average cost of a reliable, used van: $10,000.
•  Vehicle operational expenses of gas, insurance & maintenance: Average monthly cost of $450.00

Food Packs–See below for items that can be assembled and put in gallon size bags to be distributed to youth on the street. High nutritional value is the goal. This may be the only meal youth have had in a day.

•  Moist Towelettes
• 2 Juice boxes (small carton w/straw) or small water
• Small (pop top) Pudding/Fruit Cup
• Small (pop top) raviolis, spaghetti, etc.
• Napkin & Plastic Ware Packet
• 2 or more Snack or Granola Bar
• Small Box of Raisins
• Small Cereal Box
• Package crackers or other snack food

Other–Sleeping bags and back packs

Full Set Park Tool Kit:  http://www.parktool.com/category/tool-kits

A pretty good tool list can be found at this link: http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tools

For more information on how or what to donate, please contact us at info@BuildFutures.org or fill out the contact form. You may also use the donate button below to donate.

Donate bikes the Second Saturday of each month at: 2454A N. Glassel in Orange  9am to 12

Giving youth basic job skills, transportation, and the ability to learn and apply basic life skills helps them take the first steps to self-sufficiency and fosters confidence in their ability to work and succeed at employment.

OR

DONATE A ‘GENTLY’ USED BIKE

Saturday, January 28, 2012

9 a.m. to 12 noon

2454A N. Glassell

Orange, CA

To support their mission to help meet the needs of at-risk youth in Orange County, Build Futures recently launched – Bikes Build Futuresused-bicycle business that employs Build Futures’ youth clients and provides them with the skills and support necessary to become employable, self-sufficient members of the community. Youth are offered hands-on experiential job training and coaching that promotes positive emotional and character development, strong social and workplace relationship skills, teamwork, leadership, and accountability. In addition to being trained and mentored, youth receive personalized case management and bike transportation.

Bikes Build Futures helps youth take the first step to self-sufficiency by fostering confidence in their ability to find and succeed at employment.

Click Here for more information!

Come to HB Sports Complex (on Goldenwest across from the library) on April 7th! Kiwanis’ Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Family Fun Day will be held in the complex Saturday. Build Futures will be there with our huge selection of refurbished bikes for sale. Every bike bought from us helps employ homeless youth in our Huntington Beach bike shop, keeping them off the street and instilling valuable work skills.