Big Changes, New Positions, 10,000 Bikes, and a Call for Help!
Big things happening!
In the next two weeks we will donate our 10,000th bicycle to a child, fly Boise’s first ever full time bicycle advocacy position, raise our starting wage to $16.59/hour, and double down on our efforts to recruit a new full time Lead Educator position. Each of these on their own would be a pretty big deal. Together, they are a giant step forward in bringing our 2022 - 2026 strategic plan to fruition.
But, without your help, these steps are just announcements. To really move BBP, Boise, and our impact forward, we need all hands on deck for the next few weeks, and I’ll break down the “asks” below.
Director of Bicycle Advocacy
During Idaho Gives, you helped us raise nearly $100,000 to create Boise’s first full time Director of Bicycle Advocacy position. Another grant and a generous matching donor has helped BBP secure almost 3 years of dedicated funding for the position. We are still looking for grants and donors to fill the remaining $15,000 left in the match, but we have enough confidence that final funds will come that we are flying the position today. We hope to have an offer on the table by the end of August. This position will play a pivotal role in leading Canal Pathway efforts, pushing for safe street crossings, lower speed limits, and quality bicycle infrastructure in neighborhoods across Boise. “Bicycle Capital of America,” here we come!
Your help: It is not an easy market for hiring. I can’t think of a single medium-large sized nonprofit in Boise that doesn’t have several jobs posted on the ID Nonprofit job board. So we need you posting, sharing, and spreading the word to everyone you know. If you know of advocacy grants or local businesses interested in investing in our bicycling community and completing our matching funds, that would be helpful too.
Lead Educator
In 2021 and 2022, you helped BBP build out a new warehouse space and mechanic area at our headquarters on Lusk St. The additional workspace has already been transformational. To fully activate those spaces with trained volunteers, after school programs, and community classes, BBP is seeking a brand new full time Lead Educator position. This position requires solid bicycle mechanic skills and a huge desire to empower others with those skills. The salary range for this position has just been increased to $18-$20 and hour + full benefits.
Your help: We’ve had this position flow for several months, have met some good candidates, but are still looking for someone that’s the right fit for our team. Same as the Director of Bicycle Advocacy, we need your help spreading the word and reaching out to all of your bicycle mechanic friends.
New Starting Wage and Bike Mechanics
In the last two months, MIT’s widely used cost of living calculator, showed Ada County’s living wage jump from $14.17 to $16.59 an hour. This is for a single adult without children. Last week, in response to the growing cost of living in Boise, BBP’s Board of Directors approved an increase of BBP’s starting wage to $16.59. BBP is currently seeking entry level (no professional mechanic experience needed) and experience mechanics, all starting at at least $16.59 an hour.
Your help: We are looking for very part time to full time mechanics at all experience levels. We are strongly encouraging women and nonbinary folks to apply. If you know someone that is mechanically inclined and interested in working/learning to work on bikes, please send them our way or have them contact ralph@boisebicycleproject.org ASAP. High school and college students welcome!
10,000 Bikes
We are about to donate our 10,000th bicycle to a child/teen in need. We put love and care into every bicycle we fix, we care deeply about every one of our bicycle recipients, and so really 10,000 is just a number on a sticker on a seat tube (we label the date and number on every bike we donate). The big deal about number 10,000 is less about the individual bike and so much more about the massive community effort that’s helped us reach this milestone. When we celebrate this donation, we will be celebrating over 10,000 people that have donated their bicycles to BBP, 10,000 volunteer hours that have gone into fixing each bike, and 10,000 kids connected to the community on BBP bikes!
Your help: Keep the impact going. We are always looking for additional volunteers of all experience levels almost every day of the week. We’re also in need of bicycle donations to fill the community needs. Do you have extras in your garage? Does your neighbor have extras and need help transporting them down? If you aren’t able to volunteer and don’t have a bicycle to donate, please consider contributing to the impact financially. It cost us $50-100 to donate each bicycle and the cost is largely covered by generous and dedicated community members.
