Unemployment
continues to be one of the biggest struggles veterans face after exiting the
military. Whether it’s due to emotional distress, physical injury, or financial
hardship, many veterans are unable to land a job. Making matters worse, there
are far too few programs that veterans can look to for help.
Fortunately,
one Metro Detroiter’s has a simple, yet genius, answer to this problem: “Give
them a bike”. It may not sound like much, but Bikes for Vets is the real-deal.
It eliminates the one of the largest barriers to employment, transportation.
The cost of maintaining and insuring a car is very high in Michigan. If a person
cannot afford a car, they have no way of getting to work unless he/she relies
on someone else for a ride. When you are dependent on someone else to get you
to work, there are always scheduling conflicts that will force you to be late
or miss work.
Bikes
for Vets aims to solve this money and dependency issue. By providing a vet
virtually free transportation, they can arrive to work on a consistent basis.
Add this to the large public bus systems of Metro Detroit, and you can provide
people with a fast, reliable, rock-bottom priced method of transportation.
Bill
Mowder, the creator of the Bikes for Vets program, said the idea suddenly hit
him one day as he was watching a person load his bike on to the front of a
public bus. As an Americorps Navigator, he is assisting veterans every single
day. Yet, he thought there was more to be done, particularly with finding them
transportation.
Traditional
transportation assistance involves helping veterans with car expenses, but as
we know, this can be expensive. For example, for a veteran to get assistance on
a car repair he must get two certified estimates and verification of car
insurance. Most veterans cannot even afford the mechanic inspections, let alone
car insurance payments. On average, the cost of inspection, parts, and service
totals to about $900.00.
The
Bikes for Vets solution, on the other hand, is cost-effective and easy. Bill
found that most people in the Metro Detroit area live within 10 miles of where
they work. In addition to this, public busing systems are available in most
areas and all Metro Detroit buses are fitted with a bike rack. These
circumstances allow for biking to be a realistic option of transportation.
With
the help of the local store D&D Bicycles and Hockey, he was able to
purchase a reliable bike at an affordable price. At $437.00, a veteran receives
a bike, helmet, kickstand, rack, and bike lock so they are ready to hit the
road the next day. D&D Bicycles and Hockey has several locations around the
Metro Detroit area including Northville and Westland.
The
program’s first four participants gave rave reviews of the concept, namely the
health and work benefits. One man was able to arrive to work on-time
consistently and finally get 40 hours a week. A woman reported her 22
mile-a-day ride allowed her to lose 7 pounds in just a week of work.
Besides
the obvious physical health benefits, veterans also reported better mental
health from participating in Bikes for Vets. By avoiding car payments and
maintenance, their stress levels are significantly reduced. This saved money
allows them to pay their bills, building their self-esteem.
Since
the first test of concept, he has given bikes to 15 veterans thus far. Private
donations have allowed this program to flourish. Bill expects that as awareness
increases, the program will quickly spread statewide, and hopefully throughout
the country.
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