Kids & Families Together (K&FT) is a nonprofit that has been serving foster/resource, adoptive, kinship, and birth families throughout Ventura County since 2000. K&FT works with children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, loss, and multiple placements. K&FT also works with caregivers who need specialized education, support, and strategies to help raise safe, healthy, nurtured children that thrive.
Kids & Families Together, along with Heart 2 Heart will be holding our 3rd Bike Event on Saturday, June 19th from 10am – 1pm. The idea for this event was inspired by grandparents who were receiving support in some of our programs. They were a “kinship family”, and had their 7-year- old granddaughter in their care. Their granddaughter really wanted to learn how to ride a bike, but neither of the grandparents felt that they were physically capable of safely helping her. The grandmother reached out to K&FT looking for help. That one phone call, sparked the idea for this event! We knew if this was an issue for one of our families, there were most likely many Foster/Resource, Kinship and Adoptive Families in a similar situation.
So the event was born, and first took place in May of 2019. That day 10 children learned how to ride a bike for the first time! It was amazing to see these kids go from just starting out, to fully riding within a few hours. The smiles on their faces was priceless and they were filled with such pride and excitement! Due to COVID, the 2020 event was strictly held as a bike gift-away event.
But this year, we are able to bring it back as a full Bike Safety and Bike Rodeo event! We are grateful to Crosspointe Church Ventura (5415 Ralston St.) for hosting this year’s event. Their large parking lot will be the perfect setting of our bike course. Our goal for this event is to serve 100 children! Included in this year’s event will be … bike riding instructions, riding skills, a riding course will be set up, bike safety checks will be available for those that bring their own bikes, and drawings to win new bikes. All children attending the event will receive a new bike helmet, some treats and a grab bag.
We are grateful to our Bike Rodeo partners and event sponsors that will be out in force to support our families: Crosspoint Church Ventura, Bike Ventura, The California Highway Patrol (CHP-Ventura), and the Gene Haas Foundation.
Volunteer opportunities are available both prior to the event, to help sort, organize and prepare, along with time slots for the day of the event. To keep staff, families and volunteers safe, we are following current public health and safety regulations. All attendees will be required to wear a mask at all times. Contact: Jeni Futvoye 805-940-6323 [email protected].
