Picture the joy that comes from watching a child get a new a bike this holiday season. A bicycle doesn’t just offer fun. It supports physical health, strengthens cognitive development and boosts confidence in ways that carry into everyday life.
This year, that joy reached 100 children across Family & Children’s Services (FCS) programs, including Child Abuse and Trauma Services, the Early Childhood Program, School-Based Services and Women in Recovery. The annual partnership behind this effort, Tulsa Bike Club, Two Men and a Truck, and the Sanford & Irene Burnstein Family Foundation, continues to make a meaningful impact.
“Family & Children’s Services is profoundly grateful for the generous annual donation of bicycles to our children’s programs over the past 18 years,” said Tom Taylor, Family & Children’s Services’ Chief Development Officer. “This incredible gift, made possible through the Tulsa Bike Club and the generosity of the Sanford and Irene Burnstein Family Foundation, and are delivered by Two Men and a Truck, has truly been a game-changer during the holidays for the children and their families that we serve each year.”
For nearly two decades, our wonderful partners have donated more than 3,400 bicycles to children served by FCS. Their commitment continues to shape holiday memories for families who often face significant financial hardship.
“Many of the families within our service fall below the typical federal poverty guidelines, making this donation particularly impactful as well as a stress relief to them and their children during the holidays,” Tom said. “Witnessing the joy and excitement of the children receiving a bike is nothing short of transformational. It warms all our staff’s hearts and exemplifies the spirit of giving. The tenured spirit of the Burnstein Foundation, Tulsa Bike Club, and Two Men and a Truck, as well as their commitment to sharing these wonderful gifts of bikes with our FCS client community brings immense joy and positively impacts the lives of those that we get to serve. Thank you for making our holiday season so special!”
The Sanford & Irene Burnstein Family Foundation continues to champion the effort, working closely with the Tulsa Bike Club and FCS to ensure children have access not only to bicycles but to the experiences that come with them.
“The Sanford & Irene Burnstein Family Foundation has been honored to be a long-time supporter of the Bike Club Holiday Bike Give-A-Way in partnership with the Tulsa Bike Club and Family & Children’s Services,” said Elizabeth Hall, Senior Program Director, Sanford & Irene Burnstein Family Foundation. “The Burnstein Family Foundation believes in the power of supporting equitable recreational access and the freedom, joy, learning, and agency a bike can provide to a child.”
Beyond the annual holiday donation, Tulsa Bike Club invests in young riders all year long. The organization operates an after-school cycling program in Tulsa-area schools, where children train and learn bike safety. After completing the program, each participant receives a bicycle of their own.
For more information about the Tulsa Bike Club, please visit their website or social media pages.
