The times are trying. But we’ve got free bike lights and, at the very least, they’ll help you get through these times safer. With daylight savings time ending, we’re getting ready for our annual Bike Light Giveaway.
We usually hand out 200-300 bike lights the Monday after Daylight Savings, but this year is different. This year, we applied for a grant specifically for bike lights — and we got it. Now, our goal is to give out as many bike lights as possible to essential workers, especially Black or Latinix workers.
As such, we’ve already partnered with several groups around the Philadelphia region, including bike clubs, businesses, community representatives, elected leaders, and others, to get those lights out to communities. One-hundred-and-eleven organizations reached out to us and we spent the last week putting together their bike light packages, which we are hand delivering to them.
So, while we’ll still be out on Monday evening giving out some bike lights to passers-by, we’ve also reached out to folks all over the region to make sure all 10,000 lights go to good homes and BIPOC essential workers are well-lit all winter.
Here’s what’s happening with this year’s giveaway, by the numbers:
- 10,000 bike lights
- Funded by the PHL COVID-19 Fund to increase visibility and safety for Black and Latinx essential workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic; and PECO for BIPOC populations. However, we are promoting visibility and safety for all bicyclists and no one will be turned away.
- Area being served: Greater Philadelphia
- Groups who requested bike lights to bring to their communities: 111
- Who’s getting and giving out lights:
- 34% – Participants who are either Black or Latinx essential workers or employ Black or Latinx essential workers
- 36% – Participants who are part of an organization that serves the BIPOC community
- 79% – The percentage of participants who are serving BIPOC community members.
- 43% (or 48 people) – Elected to serve as Bike Light Ambassadors in their communities
- 39 – The number of people who signed up as Bike Light Giveaway Volunteers
- Tools provided: an English and Spanish Bike Light Giveaway Toolkit which explains the importance of visibility while bicycling, how to properly install bike lights, and suggested COVID-19 precautions; and also English and Spanish Bike Crash Cards by Piscitello Law.
For those looking for lights, we’ll still be out with volunteers Monday night at four intersections as usual, from 3pm or 9pm (or when all the lights are gone):
- 11th and Christian
- PA Center for Adaptive Sports Cycling, Rowing, 1233 Martin Luther King Jr Drive
- 22nd and Snyder
- State Representative Donna Bullock’s Office, 2835 West Girard Ave
So, do you or someone you know need a light? Stop by one of these spots and grab one! See you then.