Children in San Antonio are learning about nutrition, exercise and other healthy habits through a free eight-week program that ends with a reward: a bicycle they build themselves.
Earn-a-Bike serves children ages 7 to 12 and is offered at four locations, through six programs, across San Antonio. Two programs are held at University Health’s Vida location, while two others are hosted at the YMCA Najim on Roosevelt and another two are held at SAISD schools.
The programs at University Health Vida and at the YMCA are free to the community, while the programs at Irving Dual Language and Mission Academy are exclusive to students who attend those schools.
The program is one of the community partnerships supported through University Health’s Institute for Public Health.
“It’s an incentive-based program to help educate youth between ages 7 and 12 on health and wellness and being active,” Trish Menchaca, Earn-a-Bike’s program manager, said.
Menchaca said the program is designed to keep children engaged while teaching them about their health and environment.
Each week, participants attend a lesson focused on topics such as nutrition, mental health, physical health, bike safety, air quality and more. The children also receive healthy snacks and take part in activities connected to the lesson.
“We have experts in their field teaching diabetes prevention, teaching air quality,” Menchaca said. “There is a lot of need for some type of inclusion of activities for kids after school that is free and available.”
For parent Jake Lemeron, the program offers his children a chance to learn about healthier choices in a setting that is accessible to families. One of his children has already completed the program, and his 7-year-old is now participating.
“We want them to learn more about healthy habits,” Lemeron said. “In this day and age, we do eat a lot of fast food and everything, so they might think that’s the normal, so we want them to understand that there’s other options out there.”
The program being completely free is a major factor for families participating.
“For us, having it free, it’s the difference between doing it or not doing it,” he said.
The need for programs like Earn-a-Bike is underscored by University Health’s 2023 South Bexar County Community Health Needs Assessment. The report found that south Bexar County faces higher poverty rates along with lower food access, less accredited childcare capacity, fewer healthcare providers, lower insurance rates and less broadband access than Bexar County overall.
The assessment also found that residents identified food security and exercise, affordable healthcare, finances, education and housing stability as key community priorities.
University Health said its Institute for Public Health is using the findings to guide partnerships with community organizations. The goal is to make it easier for nonprofits and other groups to reach residents in areas with the greatest needs.
Earn-a-Bike’s final incentive is designed to keep children active beyond the classroom. At the end of the program, each participant earns a bicycle, helmet, light and lock.
The children do not simply receive the bicycles, they build them with help from volunteer mechanics, learning how the parts work and how to care for the bikes.
“When they get their bike, they build it from scratch,” Menchaca said. “It comes out of the box, and a mechanic comes and works with them, and they build every screw, tire, brakes, everything. So, it’s that sense of ownership that really gets them excited and motivated to use their bike.”
This year, 90 children are expected to receive free bikes. About 100 volunteer mechanics and community members are expected to help the children build them before their first group ride through the Mission area on Oct. 24 at the YMCA on Roosevelt.
“That’s a great motivation for the child to want to show up every week,” Lemeron said.
Organizers said they are looking for additional community partners and volunteers as they work to expand access to the program across San Antonio and, eventually, south Bexar County.
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