BIKE TO BEACH HELPS BUILD STRONGER ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
That is how Bloom athlete and board member Amy Crane recently worded Bloom’s impact on her as an adult woman with Down syndrome.
This impact would not be possible without the support and fundraising provided through Bloom’s partnership with Bike to the Beach Houston.
Bloom has been a Bike to the Beach partner charity for the last three years. Each year Bloom has seen growth in participation rates and fundraising. This past year brought in roughly $35,000. At a cost-per-athlete experience rate of approximately $1, Bloom, in partnership with Bike to the Beach, can offer an astounding 35,000 community-driven fitness classes to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Data shows that Bloom athletes experience higher community engagement rates, stronger employability skills, and improved physical and emotional health through these interactions.
This year, Team Bloom consisted of parents of adults with IDD, cycle gurus from across Houston, IDD service providers, and Bloom staff. Additionally, Bloom hosted a rest stop 25 miles into the 100-mile ride. Bloom athletes were there to cheer on riders and hand out snacks and drinks. The comradery between the riders, representing teams from across Houston, was thicker than the morning humidity. The riders, some experts and others amateurs, were all on a mission to ride to support people with Autism spectrum diagnoses.
When asked why Bloom chooses to partner with Bike to the Beach, Executive Director Kim Torres stated, “Bike to the Beach is a perfect organization and event for us to partner with to meet our annual fundraising and outreach needs. We obviously love how Bike to the Beach weaves our mission of health and wellness into a fundraising event. But more importantly, Bike to the Beach offers us an easy-to-implement program with high returns on our investment. In short, we can partner with Bike to the Beach to raise more money than hosting an event on our own. This allows us to not only fund more mission-driven projects, but it allows us to network within the Autism and IDD community.”
If your organization would like to join Bloom and other Autism service providers for the 2023 Houston Bike to the Beach ride, contact Ben at bdalley@biketothebeach.org.
