Celebrating MLK Day and Community

Established as a federal holiday in 1986, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday of January, commemorating King's impactful work as a civil rights activist in the United States during the 50s and 60s. In 1990, Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus signed compromise legislation, marking Idaho as the 47th state to officially recognize King with a state holiday, according to the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights.

BBP has made transporting bicycles on MLK Day a tradition since 2021! On January 15th, more than 25 volunteers gathered to distribute 91 bicycles to children, in honor of this National Day of Service. 

These bikes remained undelivered from the 2023 Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway, where over 550 kids were registered. On December 16th, some of these kids and their families were unable to attend due to unforeseen barriers. Despite having systems in place, including a bike delivery service on giveaway day, communication barriers still rise every year. As a result, we always have bikes in January that haven’t been untied with their new excited riders.

Volunteers loading bikes at BBP’s warehouse.

Yesterday bikes were transported all over the Treasure Valley and as far as Ontario, OR! Of these, 21 bikes were delivered to the Ukrainian Welcome Center in Nampa. A representative from the Ukrainian Welcome Center, Tina Polishchuk, said "The Ukrainian Welcome Center is so grateful for the generosity of the Treasure Valley. This work is further proof of the kindness people feel when they come to our area. We are so grateful to the Boise Bicycle Project and all those involved!”

Volunteers, organizations, and community groups nationwide completed projects aligning with the goal "to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems." 16 kids were unable to register in time for the 2023 Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway and we’re working hard to get them paired with a bicycle in the new year. You can support us by helping cover the costs associated with these bikes by making a donation.

If you're interested in serving the community with BBP, consider joining our New Volunteer Orientation on January 29th from 6 PM - 7 PM or check our volunteer calendar for more opportunities through January!