Allina Health teams up with Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN to give away bikes

New Ulm Medical Center, part of Allina Health, teamed up with Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN (FB4K MN) to give out over 50 bikes to Springfield Elementary School students just before school ended on Tuesday, May 18.

This partnership is a fun and different way for Allina Health to support active communities. “We want to make sure kids have the tools they need to be healthy, so they can begin to develop an active lifestyle when they are young,” said Jen Maurer, Community Health Programs Coordinator, New Ulm Medical Center, part of Allina Health.

As a health care organization, they recognize good health habits start early, which is why they partnered with FB4K MN, a non-profit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a healthier, happier childhood, by providing bikes.  

The elementary students who were chosen to receive a bike were Heart of the Tiger Award recipients throughout the school year.

While biking is a great way for children and their families and friends to be active and stay healthy, the young students just saw a great way to get around town. The students were very excited the day of the bike give-away and there was a large variety of bikes in many colors for the students to choose from.

In addition to receiving a bike, the students were given a new bike helmet and bike safety education by Allina Health.

The bicycle giveaways are part of the partnership between Allina Health and FB4K MN that included events last fall when employees helped collect these bikes. More than 650 Allina Health employees volunteered to collect over 7,000 bikes. These bikes were cleaned and repaired (up-cycled) by FB4K MN and are now ready for their new owners.

Allina Health will once again be collecting bikes this fall. If you have a bicycle that you’re no longer using, save it for this fall’s collection.