KEEN Kids Partners with the All Kids Bike® Movement

KEEN Kids' new partnership aims to bring the joy of biking to children in underserved schools

PORTLAND, Ore., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- KEEN, Inc. (KEEN), the global footwear brand on a mission to make the outside inclusive and accessible to all, today announced a partnership with All Kids Bike^®, a national movement that aims to teach every child in America how to ride a bike by placing learn-to-ride programs in kindergarten Physical Education classes.

KEEN will be supporting the movement by making a $30,000 contribution to the Foundation, which will in turn help to establish Learn to Ride Programs at six underserved elementary schools in Oregon, Kentucky, and Michigan. As part of the program, recipient schools will receive:

• 24 Strider Bikes
• 24 pedal conversion kits
• 24 helmets
• One 20 inch teacher instruction bike
• An 8-lesson Learn-To-Ride curriculum aligned to SHAPE America National PE standards

Each sponsored school is expected to host the program as part of their ongoing curriculum for a minimum of 5 years, providing valuable life skills to thousands of children over the lifespan of the program.

"Learning to ride a bike is one of life's most exhilarating milestones and we believe that every child should have the opportunity to share in that experience," said Justin McDonald, Director of Marketing for KEEN Kids. "At KEEN our mission is to make the outside accessible to all both through the footwear we design, and the partners we support. Strider and the All Kids Bike movement fully align with that mission."

This partnership is the latest in a long line of KEEN's values-based, philanthropic programs called the KEEN Effect. In the company's first year of business, the company's advertising budget was reallocated to provide tsunami relief in Southeast Asia. More recently, the footwear brand has provided humanitarian relief in Ukraine and forged partnerships with organizations like Outdoor Afro to improve access to the great outdoors for underserved communities. Since 2014, more than 133,700 kids have benefitted from high quality outdoor recreation and nature-based programs offered by KEEN partners.

KEEN recently released Speed Hound, a children's shoe uniquely designed for kids learning how to ride a bike. To celebrate the Speed Hound launch and the All Kids Bike partnership, KEEN will be hosting bike building events across three locations where KEEN employee volunteers will assemble bikes and prep them for delivery to the participating schools.

"KEEN Kids is the ideal partner for the All Kids Bike movement," said Lisa Weyer, Executive Director of the Strider Education Foundation. "The company's generous donation will help inspire the next generation of bike riders and bring us closer to our ultimate goal of teaching every child in America how to ride a bike."

About KEEN

 Driven by a passion to make the outside and trades accessible for all, KEEN is a values-led, family-owned footwear brand from Portland, Oregon, committed to creating original and versatile products, enhancing lives, and inspiring adventures outside. Founded in 2003, it launched a revolution in the footwear industry with the debut of the Newport adventure sandal. It continues to launch game-changing products and establish new standards for performance, comfort, and design while actively working to Detox the Planet. The brand formalized its values commitment under the banner of The KEEN Effect. Learn more at www.keenfootwear.com.

About ALL KIDS BIKE^®

All Kids Bike is a national movement to place Kindergarten PE Learn-To-Ride Programs into public schools using donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations. The All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Program boasts an inclusive, proven Learn-To-Ride curriculum that offers every child the opportunity to experience the joy of two wheels. Launched in March 2018, there are already 549 schools in 50 states teaching students how to ride a bike. Learn more at www.AllKidsBike.org.

Contact:
Kim MacKenzie 
781-588-0506 
[email protected]

SOURCE KEEN, Inc.