Trips for Kids
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Trips For Kids® is an international non-profit community service organization that provides mountain bike outings, environmental education, bicycle mechanics training and earn-a-bike programs for underserved youth. Headquartered in Marin County, California, over 100,000 children have been served by over 80 Trips for Kids chapters in North America, Africa and Israel as of August 2013.[1]
Many of the children who participate in a Trips for Kids mountain bike ride have never ventured beyond their neighborhood borders or experienced the natural world that is often just out of their reach. These rides offer kids new and challenging experiences that can help build character and inspire teamwork, leadership and self-confidence. For some the rides present pivotal moments of self-discovery and awareness that can help tip the balance to a new way of thinking about their world.
Contents
Marin County Flagship Program
A grass roots effort, the flagship Trips for Kids program was founded in Marin County in 1988 by Marilyn Price, a social activist, environmentalist and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee. Price pioneered the use of the mountain bike to teach at-risk, underserved youth lessons in personal responsibility, achievement and environmental awareness through the development of practical skills and the simple act of having fun.
In addition to mountain bike rides, the Trips for Kids Marin chapter also runs an after-school earn-a-bike/job training program and the Re-Cyclery bicycle thrift shop. Re-Cyclery sells donated new and re-conditioned bikes, parts, accessories and clothing to generate funds for the operation of the Marin chapter and to help support the international chapters.[2]
International Chapter Formation and Support
Modeled after the flagship Marin County program, over 80 Trips for Kids chapters have been founded by entrepreneurial community activists worldwide with more chapters coming online each year. Each Trips For Kids chapter is an independently operated non-profit organization, based on the Trips for Kids Marin program. Each chapter has its own non-profit status and its own board of directors, does its own fundraising, and finds it own volunteers.[3]
Trips for Kids provides chapters with best practices, forms and documentation, ideas to promote their programs and other resources to help build and grow a non-profit organization. A how-to manual covering information on how to incorporate as a non-profit, obtain needed insurance, recruit and retain volunteers, run a ride program, and obtain funding is available online along with other resources designed to help chapters provide safe, high quality community programs.[4]
Sponsors
Leaders in the outdoor and cycling industry help to support Trips for Kids through donations of equipment, parts and accessories which are sold through the Re-Cyclery Thrift shop. Proceeds of those sales along with the financial contributions of foundations, corporate giving programs and individual donors help support continued Trips for Kids operations and growth.[5]
Honorary Board
The role of the Honorary Board is to increase recognition of Trips For Kids on an international level and further the goal of starting new Trips For Kids groups.[6]
- Peter Coyote, Actor
- Gary Fisher, Founder, Gary Fisher Bicycles
- Mickey Hart, Musician
- Phil Lesh, Musician
- Huey Lewis, Musician
- Bonnie Raitt, Musician
- Carlos Santana, Musician
- Pete Townsend, Musician
- Bob Weir, Musician
- Thomas Weisel, CEO, Thomas Weisel Partners
- Robin Williams, Actor
Awards
Awards received by the national organization and its local chapters include:[7]
- CNN awarded Trips for Kids Founder, Marilyn Price, as a CNN Hero (March 2015)
- Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition awarded Marilyn Price the Pioneering Woman Award (Sept 2014)
- Bicycle Retailer chooses Marilyn Price as one of “50 Influential Women Driving the Business” (Feb 2014)
- University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts awarded Marilyn Price with their Humanitarian Service Award (October 2012)
- TFK Biddeford's Community Cycling Center received Maine's YMCA Youth Development Award for "commitment to nurturing the potential of every child and teen through youth development" (October 2012)
- Outdoor Industry Association recognized Marilyn Price as one of three “Outdoor Inspiration Awards” finalists (January 2012 & 2013)
- Mountain Bike Action Magazine recognized Marilyn Price as one of “the 25 Most Influential People in Mountain Biking” (July 2011)
- Clif Bar Award 2-Mile Challenge award for TFK’s commitment to bicycle advocacy and climate change (November 2010) * Community Leadership Award, President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (November 2010)
- Trips For Kids Marin was a Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Spotlight Award Gold Medal Winner as presented by the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger (September 2009)
- Liberty Mutual Insurance awarded TFK Northern Virginia leader Pat Childers with the "Responsible Coaching Award" (June 2009)
- TFK Metro DC's Julie Childers was recognized by American Trails (November 2008)
- Marilyn Price received the Jefferson Award, sponsored by the San Francisco Chronicle and CBS 5 (August 2008)
- TFK Marin received the "Heart of Marin" Award for Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence (January 2008)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price named a Semi-Finalist for the National Volvo for Life Award (October 2007)
- TFK Denver’s Director Andrew Goodwillie chosen as KMGH-TV Channel 7’s "Everyday Hero" (October 2007)
- Metro DC chapter leader Julie Childers named WETA "Hometown" Hero (June 2007)
- Marin Women's Hall of Fame, Induction of TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price (March 2006)
- TFK Metro DC honored with the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Children's Health Recognition Award (2006)
- TFK New Bedford received the Annual Community Award for Outstanding Civic Partner from The Greater New Bedford Women's Center (2006)
- TFK New Bedford cited by the Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau for its innovative programs for bicycle and pedestrian safety (2006)
- TFK Metro DC recognized as one of "the best small charities in Greater Washington" by the Catalogue for Philanthropy (2005)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price received Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award, Marin County Human Rights Commission (November 2003)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price received Hanna Creighton Environment Justice Award, Sierra Club Marin Group (October 2003)
- TFK Charlotte received a citation from the Charlotte Police Department for work with kids.
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price received SGMA Hero, National Winner, Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (2002)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price named "Daily Point of Light" (June 11, 2001)
- TFK Marin received "e-chievement award", NPR (2001)
- TFK Marin’sDirector Marilyn Price chosen as TV 5’s "Hometown Hero" (May 2000)
- TFK Marin received Children's Services Award, Marin County Bicycle Coalition (December 2000)
- TFK Marin received Waste Reduction Program of the Year, California Integrated Waste Management Board (1999)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price chosen as a "Women In High Gear: Celebrating Industry Leaders", Interbike, (September 1999)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price received an "As They Grow" award from Parents magazine (1998)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame (1996)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price chosen "Volunteer of the Year", Volunteer Center of Marin (1996)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price received the Pacific Award for Outstanding Service to the Mountain Biking Community, International Mountain Bicycling Association (1996)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price received Channel 7 Salutes, KGO-TV (September 1995)
- TFKids Marin received the "Golden Rule Award" from J. C. Penney (1995)
- TFK Marin’s Director Marilyn Price received the "Daisy Award", San Francisco Bay Area Girl Scouts (1994)
- TFK Marin received Model Program Award, International Mountain Bicycling Association (1994)
References
- ↑ http://www.tripsforkids.org
- ↑ http://www.tripsforkids.org/marin/index.htm
- ↑ http://www.tripsforkids.org/national/findachapter.htm
- ↑ http://www.tripsforkids.org/national/chaptersupport.htm
- ↑ http://www.tripsforkids.org/national/sponsors.htm
- ↑ http://www.tripsforkids.org/national/directors.htm
- ↑ http://www.tripsforkids.org/national/news/awards.htm
