HFF Bike Program
The Bike Program at Housing Families First is not brand new, but it does provide a service that is absolutely imperative for our families. In the first weeks of employment, before the first paycheck is received, many of our clients are unable to access the transportation necessary to obtain and retain employment. This is a barrier to employment that we can help remove. We recently interviewed HFF Case Worker Kristin Riddick about our Bike Program, which provides bikes for our newly employed clients. Here is what she shared with us:
“The Rapid Rehousing program is focused not just on helping our clients obtain housing, but also maintaining it once they have finished with our program. For most, that means employment, and employment means needing access to reliable transportation. Richmond’s bus system is limited in its service area, and depending on friends and family for rides is unreliable and unsustainable. Bikes allow our clients freedom and opportunity to get to work, to go to the grocery store, and overall to increase their self-reliance. We love that we can provide such a powerful and necessary tool for our clients to sustain their families and maintain their own home.”
You can help, too! If you are interested in donating a new or great-condition bike to our program, please contact [email protected] today. Unfortunately, we do not presently have the resources to accept bikes that require servicing. Thank you in advance for helping us with our mission to provide families experiencing homelessness with the tools to achieve housing stability. We are thankful for all of our community partners!