How the Community Bike Collective Changes Lives

Giving the Gift of Mobility: How the Community Bike Collective Changes Lives

The Community Bike Collective’s (CBC) Bike Giveaway program empowers members of our community who have experienced hardships in life. We frequently receive requests from educators who see students struggling with truancy because of transportation issues—whether it’s living too far to walk, navigating complex bus routes, or parents juggling multiple jobs and unable to provide rides. For families with tight financial resources, essential transportation often feels unattainable, not to mention “extras”. Our giveaway program provides more than just a set of wheels; it offers recipients the joy of freedom, movement, access to nature, and a healthy lifestyle.

A Recipient’s Story of Impact

This recent feedback highlights the profound impact a refurbished bike can have: “I wanted to thank you again. The client sent me pictures of his bike. It’s absolutely beautiful. It’s perfect in every way. You and your team listened to what he needed and went above and beyond. He is so excited about his new bike. He’s keeping it inside at night. Takes pictures of it. You have restored a bit of his self-esteem. For that, I thank you from my heart.”

Keeping the Cycle Going

Your support has enabled the CBC to deliver over 500 bikes so far. That’s 500 bikes that are no longer collecting dust in a garage or being tossed in a landfill, and instead delivering a lifeline to their new owners.

CBC Awarded Specialized Outride Fund – Community Impact Grant

Community Bike Collective has been working with Shoreline Middle School in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz through our Pathways Program, which establishes ongoing partnerships with local schools and nonprofits. These relationships allow us to support youth riders as they progress through a structured series of skill-building rides.

To strengthen and expand our work at Shoreline, CBC applied last winter for a Specialized Outride Fund – Community Impact Grant. In September, we learned that CBC was selected as one of only 35 recipients from a highly competitive pool of applicants across the U.S.!

What will the grant make possible? Beginning early next year, CBC will:

Support an in-school biking program at Shoreline Middle School
Develop a free after-school mountain bike program launching in Spring 2026

This grant allows us to guide more youth from basic bike-handling skills into a lifelong activity that boosts physical and mental health, builds friendships, fosters independence, and strengthens community. Students will also gain a deeper sense of place by exploring local trails and open spaces throughout Santa Cruz County.

CBC Awarded Specialized Outride Fund – Community Impact Grant

On November 12th, Bike Santa Cruz County announced the 2025 recipients of the Wheelie Awards—an annual celebration recognizing outstanding efforts to expand, improve, and promote cycling throughout the region. The awards were presented at a reception held at the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County in Aptos. CBC BOD President Dave Livingston was at the reception to receive the award.

Each award recipient shares one thing in common: a dedicated commitment of time and energy to supporting bicycling through advocacy, education, community building, and the creation of transformative infrastructure that strengthens cycling in our community.

Community Bike Collective was honored to receive the Education category award. Not only are we stoked to be recognized for our efforts, but we are also grateful to Bike Santa Cruz County and inspired to keep this momentum going!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Funding “Adventure Betty’s” Replacement

We need your help to keep our programs rolling safely! Our beloved van, affectionately called “Adventure Betty,” is a critical piece of equipment in support of our mission. You’ve seen her everywhere we go, reliably getting our bikes and passengers out on trail rides for years.

“Betty” has bravely exceeded 155,000 miles on her odometer, and she is officially ready for a well-deserved retirement. To continue our work without interruption, we are actively looking for funding to purchase replacement transportation that can safely handle the weight of our bike trailer and carry passengers to our various program locations.

This new vehicle is essential for maintaining the quality and safety of the experiences we provide.

Community Bike Collective345 Harvest Drive, Watsonville, CA 95076
Community Bike Collective is a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation [Tax ID 46-4215289]

Community. It’s in our name, it’s what we do. We have decided to introduce a biannual newsletter to keep our friends, family, and supporters up-to-date on how, collectively, we change lives from the seat of a bike!

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