For Parents:

Q. Who can get a bike?
A. To qualify children must be:

• Between 3 and 9 years old.
• Between 30 and 57 inches tall.
• Referred by a partner (social service agency, school, church) who can verify that they are from a low-income family. (Qualify for free or reduced lunch.)

Q. How can I sign up my child?
A. Contact a social worker, school, church, or other agency who can verify your low-income status. Ask them to visit our website at www.CommunityCyclingCenter.org or call us at 503.288.8864 to learn how to refer your child.

For Agencies: 

Q. I referred children last year, how is the referral system different?
A. We are using a new online system, which will allow you and the families you work with to know long before December if their children will receive bikes.

Q. How does the new process work?
A. First you need to create an account as an employee of a social service agency or other approved partner. Visit our Holiday Bike Drive program page.

-Click on “My Account”
-Click on “Create Account.”

When you are creating your account, if your agency name is not on the drop down menu, please contact our office at 503.288.8864 and ask to talk to Melissa or Eloise about becoming a Holiday Bike Drive partner agency.

The best times to call for Holiday Bike Drive questions are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12pm to 5pm.

Q. What do I need to know to refer a child?
A. Each child you refer will be added as a “new registrant” to your primary account. You will sign up children based on their gender & size. You will need to know each child’s height in inches and date of birth . It is very important to sign up children in the correct height group. We use children’s heights to match them to the correct sized bicycle. Due to safety concerns, we will not send children home with bicycles that do not fit them.

Q. What if I need to take a child off the referral list?
A. Please call 503.288.8864 and ask to talk to Melissa or Eloise about taking a child off the registration list for Holiday Bike Drive.

Q. Does each child still need an invitation to receive a bicycle?
A. Yes! Shortly after the referral period closes (November 21, 2007), we will send you a packet including instructions and individual invitations with a scheduled time for pick up. Each child must have an invitation in order to receive a bicycle. It is your responsibility to make sure your families receive their invitations.

Q. How long will it take to sign up kids online?
A. About half an hour. First, you must create a primary account for yourself. This will take approximately 20 minutes. You will then add each child you are referring as a participant to your account. You will need to know each child’s height in inches, and date of birth before you can sign them up. If you have this information ready, it should take an additional 10 minutes per referral.

Q. When is the event?
A. December 9, 2007. Please note that this event is by invitation only. Children who have not been referred will not receive bicycles at Holiday Bike Drive.

Q. How long will it take to get a bike the day of the event?
A. The process of receiving a bike takes 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours. This includes fun bike safety games, fitting a helmet, picking out a bike, and making sure it the bike is properly fitted to the child.

Q. Does my whole group have to stay together to get their bikes?
A. No, this year the group of individuals you referred will not be required to wait until everyone is together to proceed. However, in order to maintain the flow of the event, we will still schedule your referrals at a specific time. You will know your time slot the week after the referral period closes (November 21, 2007). We will not allow children to begin before their scheduled time.

Q. Do I have to attend the event?
A. Yes, you or a representative of your agency is required to attend. With hundreds of children and their families gathering to receive bicycles, Holiday Bike Drive can be confusing. We find that including agency representatives in the process creates a smoother, happier experience for everyone. Plus, it’s fun to see all those kids receive their first bicycle! If you have questions or concerns about this, feel free to call 503.288.8864 and ask to talk to Melissa or Eloise.

Q. Will transportation be provided for bicycles?
A. No, transportation will not be provided. Please work this out with families before the event.

Q. Will there be a make up day for children who miss the event?
A. Unfortunately, no. Due to our limited resources, there will be no make up day.

Q. Can you walk me through the process?
A. Yes! Download our step-by-step instruction manual, which will take you through the online referral system. It may be helpful to print it out the first time you use the system. You can also download a pdf version of our Frequently Asked Questions.