Pedaling with Purpose
We provide new bikes, helmets, and locks to underserved children throughout Santa Clara County, empowering them to develop lifelong habits of exercise and outdoor activity.
Empowering Kids, One Bike at a Time
Turning Wheels for Kids (TWFK) is a vital program of Valley Health Foundation, a community-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting health and healthcare services in Santa Clara County.
Since 2003, we have built and distributed over 50,000 bikes to children in need.
Every bike we deliver creates moments of joy. Beyond the immediate excitement and health benefits, these bikes provide children with independence, confidence, inspiration, and adventure.
To further extend our reach, the Bike Prescription program(Bike Rx) is a program in which select pediatricians can write a prescription for a child in need to receive a bike from Turning Wheels for Kids..
The Magic of Community
The success of TWFK is due to the large group of dedicated volunteers who give generously of their time, money, and expertise. From youth to adults, novices to expertly trained bike mechanics, our community comes together year-round to make our mission a reality through:
Our Annual Big Bike Build
Corporate Bike Builds
Bike Repair Clinics
We collaborate with businesses, community organizations, and healthcare providers like the Pediatric Healthy Lifestyle Center at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, to encourage outdoor activity, such as riding a bike to school or hanging out with friends, to prevent childhood obesity, and improve children’s health and well-being.
Valley Health Foundation also works closely with community-based organizations across Santa Clara County to strategically distribute safely built and age-appropriate bikes to children at risk for childhood obesity, in need of transportation and those who reside in underserved and low-income communities in Santa Clara County.
Born from a Simple Idea
In 2003, Sue Runsvold, a registered nurse who worked at Santa Clara Valley Medical, set out to ensure that no child would have to experience a holiday without exciting gifts, an experience that she feared herself when she was young. She learned that bicycles – one of the most requested gifts – can profoundly impact children’s lives more than she first imagined.
The first year, she and her dedicated team of volunteers bought 12 brand-new bikes and gave them to children. She soon realized that beyond the immediate thrill of giving, bikes brought children independence, confidence, a fun way to exercise, and a sense of adventure that nothing else could quite match.
In 2005, Susan worked with an amazing group of volunteers to formally establish Turning Wheels for Kids which has grown to what it is today.
“We must recognize that the epidemic of childhood obesity is connected to sedentary pastimes: TVs, computers, texting, and video games. We must bring children back outdoors to experience the fun we all remember from our childhoods. We must give children the opportunity to share bike riding as an important childhood rite of passage.”
Join the Ride
Join our community of supporters and volunteers to help bring the joy of biking to more children! info@turningwheelsforkids.org
