Adaptive Bikes Bring Joy and Inclusion to Families

This past spring the Just Bikes Coalition in Madison announced a program to provide small grants, up to $2500, for projects to advance transportation freedom and address inequities by improving bicycling at the neighborhood scale. Grants can be made for planning, events, infrastructure, community organizing, and other projects that lift underserved neighborhoods by improving bicycle transportation and recreation. Funds provided by Dane County Bicycle Association (Arthur Ross) were put in the hands of the coalition to administer and award.

One of those awards was made to the Hector Portillo and his organization, Parents and Children in Action (PADRES E HIJOS EN ACCIÓN) to purchase an added adaptive bike to their fleet.

Our cycling program enables [riders] to spend quality time as a family reducing the stress for our families.

Hector Portillo

Hector also shares more about the benefits of their program in his thank you letter to Just Bikes Coalition.

PADRES E HIJOS EN ACTION had been supporting children with Autism, Down Syndrome, and other conditions to ride for first time in their live, Also Moms ride for first time a tricycle. Bike riding improve[s] fine-tune motor skills and physical coordination as well as aid with balance, and help build a habit of continued, enjoyable physical activity. We provide bikes to those families that solicit it, and or help to obtain one through medical insurance (most of the times we refer them to other agencies or social worker).

As a result, for riding adaptive bicycles can boost physical benefits, such as increased joint motion, muscle movement, circulation, core development, coordination, and balance. And for emotional gains, adaptive bikes can help foster inclusion and a sense of independence, among other benefits.

Latinos are the second largest racial/ethnic group (after non-Hispanic whites) in Dane County, making up about 6.5% of the population. The population has grown from less than 14,500 to more than 35,500 in 2019. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 15% of children have a developmental disability of any type, which includes conditions like ADHD, ASD, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, learning disability, and dyslexia. [3] Even more children have a special health care need other than a developmental disability. Approximately 20%, or 109,340, of Dane County’s population is under 18 years of age. Using these figures, we estimate that of the 16,400 children with disabilities in the county, nearly 1075 identify as Latino/Hispanic.

We applaud Hector and his group on their efforts and look forward to the many miles, and smiles, families will enjoy through the use of this bike fleet. You can read more and support the organization at their website here.

JUST Bikes Coalition envisions a community where all people feel safe and empowered using a bicycle regardless of their racial or socioeconomic status. Our mission is to co-conspire and collaborate with communities of color by addressing equity issues through the use of bikes.

Coalition members: Wisconsin Bike Fed, Greater Madison MPO, Bike Fitchburg, BikEquity Inc., Down with Bikes, FB4K Madison, the Healthy Kids Collaborative, the Madison Community Schools, the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, Wheels for Winners, Tri 4 Schools, Dream Bikes, City of Madison, Madison Bikes, the Latino Academy for Workforce Development, Padres e Hijos en Acción, and other interested individuals.