Elves And More Houston Texas Charity Bicycle Volunteers

Elves and More 2007 bicycle build Houston Texasfrom the kids.
photos of bike build volunteers see your friends andThe Fifth Ward in central Houston is one of our area's
neighbors photos. Building a bike represents a gift ofpoorest, with street after street of ramshackle homes
love to someone less fortunate. Delivering that gift toand government projects, an area populated
these children in the neighborhoods where they live is apredominantly by African-Americans. In three
life-changing experience, for few of us know howneighborhoods there, we gave bikes and gifts to over
much poverty there is among us, or what being truly12,000 children, turning a blighted ghetto into a vibrant
poor, is really like.community of smiling young cyclists.
All of Elves & More's efforts are focused on helpingReliant Park.
children get out of poverty. Visualize 20,000 newOn December 22nd more than 600 volunteers
bicycles loaded into more than 100 large trucks andcompleted the delivery of this year's order of 18,000
delivered to 20,000 underprivileged children in entirebicycles. That brings the 5-year total to 80,000 new
neighborhoods, all on a surprise basis on December 22,bikes to under-privileged children in the Greater
with Santa at the front. a not-for-profit organization inHouston Area. Only through your generosity and
Houston dedicated to brightening the lives ofcommitment could this have been accomplished.
impoverished kids, Elves and more is a not-for-profitThousands of contributors and volunteers are coming
organization in Houston dedicated to brightening thetogether to do for others, the underprivileged children in
lives of impoverished kidsin the Houston area.the 8-county Greater Houston Area.
Underprivileged children prefer bicycles over everyThrough our Bicycle Program, we're giving children
other gift. Although bikes may seem to be just toys,who live onfoot brand-new bicycles. Their bicycles
for these children they are even more important thanrepresent the two wheels that can help them ride all
that, they are essential transportation, for bicycles givethe way out of poverty. How?
children the freedom and flexibility to go places: toBicycles take children to mentors such as Scout
participate in positive after-school activities, to go to theLeaders, Coaches, Community Center Guidance
library and get on the Internet, or (for teens) to take aCounselors and others. These mentors serve as the
part-time job and help make a better life for their"training wheels" in a child's life; they build character,
families.provide encouragement and help children build crucial
All of Elves & More's efforts are focused on helpinglife skills.
children get out of poverty. Visualize 20,000 brand-new2007 has been an unbelievable success for Elves &
bicycles loaded into more than 100 large trucks andMore and the under-privileged children we serve.
delivered to 20,000 underprivileged children in entireThe Bicycle Ball (September) and the Texas Golf
neighborhoods, all on a surprise basis on December 22,Classic (October) were both very successful and
with Santa at the front. Without help, most of theallowed Elves & More to serve 16,000 under-privileged
children receive little or nothing at all for Christmas,children in the Greater Houston area as part of the
year after year. With a sustained program of ourBicycle Program in December.
scale, if only once in his / her childhood, we have the2008 promises to be even more successful as we
chance to say to each child: "Someone does care;deliver our 100,000th bike to an under-privileged child
WE DO!"and the number of Elves & More groups through out
Collecting and giving bicycles and gifts to impoverishedthe country continues to expand.
children. Description of their program, news, and letters