Local nonprofit Make It Happen for Yolo County is partnering with the Martin Luther King Jr., High School Bicycle Repair Shop in Davis to ensure underserved transition age youth across the county have refurbished bicycles for transportation to work or school. Make It Happen recently received $1,500 from the Biberstein Social Action Fund to purchase the first 20 bicycles.
The Martin Luther King High School Bicycle Repair Shop is a partnership between the Davis Joint Unified School District, Center for Families and the City of Davis Street Smarts program where high school students repair donated bicycles as vocational training and then sell them at a discounted price to community members in need. Bicycles feature brand-new seats and tires, free maintenance for life, locks and helmets.
“We have been so impressed with the Bicycle Repair Shop at King High and the amazing opportunities they are offering to the students working there, as well as to underserved youth across the region who need transportation at low or no cost. This partnership is an absolute win-win,” said Cathi Schmidt, executive director, Make It Happen for Yolo County. “We are so grateful to the Biberstein Social Action Fund for seeing the importance of this project and taking the opportunity to support two great community organizations.”
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Make It Happen for Yolo County provides local transition age youth ages 18-24, many of whom have been in foster care or experienced homelessness, with furniture, appliances and household items needed to move into their first apartments. The nonprofit receives furniture donations from the community and purchases new appliances and household items to help youth involved with the Yolo County child welfare, mental health and probation divisions, as well as the UC Davis Guardian Scholars program and other local nonprofits. Since its founding in 2014, Make It Happen for Yolo County has helped more than 250 transition age youth. To make a financial or furniture donation, visit www.MIHYolo.org.
The Biberstein Social Action Fund was established in 2002 by the Board of Directors of Congregation Bet Haverim, Jewish Fellowship of Davis, to honor Ernie and Hannah Biberstein, longtime residents of Davis who have devoted much of their lives to community service and social justice issues. The fund provides grants to address poverty, discrimination, abuse and neglect, and the promotion of social justice in Yolo County. For more information: https://www.bethaverim.org/engage/committees/biberstein-social-action-fund/.