Ecology Action is the lead agency for this new program. Santa Cruz based Growing Cycles is an organization that gives kids a chance to create the joy that comes from having a bike and knowing how to fix it. Or as they put it, they're dedicated to giving youth and low-income families the tools they need to get where they want go on the road and in life. Growing Cycles unites unused and outgrown bicycles with boys and girls who will appreciate and care for them. Along the way they have the opportunity to learn general job skills such as answering the telephone and working on a computer.
Participants also enjoy the adventure of organized rides.
The organization now works with 200 kids each year, promoting bicycles for community involvement and as alternative transportation. In a shop on Riverside Avenue in Santa Cruz, Growing Cycles provides the workspace, tools and knowledge needed to start kids on the path towards bike expertise. The maintenance program works on a drop-in basis and is open to anyone between the ages of 9 and 18. Kids come by after school or on weekends and sign up for a time slot at one of six work-stations. Younger participants, between 8 and 12, work with a partner.