Positively the Heartland: The Bike Union provides opportunities for youth impacted by foster care

31ST.HERE AT K-M-T-V, WE REALIZE HOWAMAZING THIS COMMUNITY IS.WITH SO MANY PEOPLE SPREADINGKINDNESS AND HELPING EACH OTHERbWE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE GOOD.ON THIS MORNING’S"POSITIVELY THE HEARTLAND", 3NEWS NOW DIGITAL REPORTERDANIELLE MEADOWS TELLS US ABOUTTHE BIKE UNION... A NON-PROFITHELPING YOUNG PEOPLE AFFECTED BYFOSTER CARE WITH PERSONAL GROWTHAND WORKPLACE DEVELOPMENT.TN - "I GENUINELY FEEL LIKEWE’RE A DIFFERENT BREED... WETHINK DIFFERENT, WE ACTDIFFERENT, UM, WE GET TREATEDDIFFERENT..."FOR YOUTH IMPACTED BY FOSTERCARE....-NAT POP-WORKING AT THE BIKE UNION ANDCOFFEE SHOP IS SO MUCH MORE THANSERVING UP LATTES AND DOINGREPAIRS.TN - "JUST THE UNITY THAT THEBIKE UNION GIVES HERE... ANDLIKE, SHOWING THAT YOU’RESPECIAL AND THIS WHOLE SHOP, YOUKNOW, THEY ONLY HIRE FOSTERCHILDREN... AND FOR A WHOLEYEAR, YOU GET TO WORK ONYOURSELF.

IT’S JUST KIND OFSPECIAL."ALONG WITH BUILDING BASIC JOBSKILLS THROUGH BARISTA AND BIKEMECHANIC EXPERIENCE, EMPLOYEESLIKE TIFFANY NITZEL PARTICIPATEIN VARIOUS CLASSES WHILE ON THECLOCK...TN - "THIS IS THE BEST JOB I’VEEVER HAD... I NEVER GET BORED."STAFF LEARN ABOUT TOPICS LIKEFINANCIAL LITERACY, NUTRITION,AND NITZEL’S FAVORITE...MINDFULNESS MEDITATION.TN - "IT MAKES YOU PUT YOUREMOTIONS IN THE EMOTIONALCATEGORY INSTEAD OF ’THIS IS ALLME’, AND UM, THAT’S SOMETHINGTHAT I WILL MOST LIKELY ALWAYSHAVE WITH ME."CW - "I THINK FOR EVERY YOUTHIT’S DIFFERENT.

BUT THE ONEUNDERLYING THING THAT I THINK WEALL HOPE IS THAT THEY TAKE AWAYSOME SORT OF SKILL, SOME SORT OFSOMETHING THAT THEY TAKE THATPAYS DIVIDENDS IN THEIR LIFE FORYEARS TO COME."WHILE THE BIKE UNION PARTIALLYRELIES ON DONATIONS AND GRANTSFROM THE COMMUNITY... OPERATIONSMANAGER CURTIS WILSON SAYS EACHPURCHASE IN THE SHOP HELPS THEORGANIZATION THRIVE.CW- "WHETHER YOU BUY A CUP OFCOFFEE, GET YOUR BIKE TUNED UP,WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, 100PERCENT OF THAT GOES BACK IN TOSUPPORT THE PROGRAMMING THATWE’RE DOING."WILSON ADDS THAT THE BIKE UNIONPROVIDES SUPPORT FOR ADEMOGRAPHIC THAT IS OFTENOVERLOOKED...SUPPORT THAT’S MADE ALL THEDIFFERENCE FOR YOUTH LIKENITZEL.TN - "I JUST WANT IT TO FLOURISHAND GROW.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, IMEAN, IT’S CHANGED MY LIFE FORBETTER AND I KNOW IT CAN CHANGEOTHER PEOPLE’S."FIVE YOUTH WHO HAVE EITHER BEENIMPACTED BY THE FOSTER CARESYSTEM, OR ARE AGING OUT, AREHIRED ON AT THE BIKE UNION FORAPPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR.THE SHOP IS LOCATED AT 18TH ANDDODGE STREET.

VISIT THE BIKEUNION DOT ORG FO