The Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative (MHVI) has been providing services to veterans since 2008. In the past three years, the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation has provided mini-grants to the MHVI's "Bikes for Stripes" program. On Flag Day, June 14, 2024, seven club members and family members from the Elmbrook Rotary Club donated 24 hours of service to the "Bikes for Stripes Summer Resource Fair" at the West Allis Farmers Market.
A total of 82 bicycles were received by veterans who waited in a long line to register and to receive a bicycle.
In addition to MHVI staff, some 14 partner organizations were also present, providing free gifts and services to the veterans.
ERC participants helped by readying the bicycles, serving food and drinks, and distributing many other free gifts.
Thanks to the following for their participation and hard work: John Allen, Christoph & Larry Myers, Jack Nelson, Bill Selzer, and Evonne & Mark Zalewski. They demonstrated "Service Above Self" in order to "Create Hope in the World."
The following note of gratitude was received from Debbie Buchanan, the Executive Director of MHVI:
First, I want to say thank you for supporting the mission of Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative. We appreciate your volunteer hours and hard work; it made a big difference for us.
Because of partners like you, we were able to expand the Bikes for Stripes program over the past few years. It once was a place to donate bikes and maybe someone on staff would add air to the tires, but nothing more.
Now -we have a real bike repair shop, where we can make bicycle repairs and help ensure we provide safe transportation for veterans and families.
The grant received from the Elmbrook Rotary Club allowed us to purchase locks and funding to help support our amazing event last week
We are also very grateful for the use of the West Allis Farmers Market; it is the perfect venue for our resource fair and we look forward to next year being even bigger.
Below is the link on the story
https://www.cbs58.com/news/recognition-of-heroes-milwaukee-homeless-veterans-initiative-hosts-6th-annual-bikes-for-stripes-event
Now our problem is that we need more bikes. . . LOL
Have a great summer everyone!