On May 1, 2021 TopLine Federal Credit Union hosted a bike donation drive at all branch locations with donations benefiting Keystone Community Services’ Youth Program, Express Bike Shop. TopLine members dropped off their unused bikes and bike parts to help support local youth employment. Donations ranged from a single bike to truck loads. As the day wrapped up, TopLine members donated a record breaking 310 bikes!
Keystone’s Youth Employment Program is a youth directed social enterprise, serving as a learning lab for young people entering the workplace, with all revenue reinvested back into the program. This youth development and entrepreneurial training program teaches young people real world job skills and provides employment opportunities as paid apprentices.
Youth who participate in the program gain a valuable "first job" experience that emphasizes work readiness skills and an entrepreneurial spirit in a fun, engaging and team-building format. The multi-session curriculum consists of mini-lessons, group challenges and off-site field studies to reinforce concepts. Each apprentice is required to work 200-plus hours and at the end of the program becomes certified in bicycle repair and small business skills.
“TopLine members and employees generously contributed hundreds of their unwanted bikes to support a local St. Paul community’s non-profit youth employment program,” says Tom Smith, TopLine President and CEO. “We are happy to see so many individuals came out to donate their bikes to replenish the much needed inventory as bike demand has increased, and the greatest benefit is that 100% of profits are reinvested back into the youth apprenticeship program, which gives teens a comprehensive employment opportunity to develop new skills and to gain real-world work experience.”
“Thank you to all of the TopLine members who donated bikes and in turn supported our youth employment programs! Meaningful job experiences as a teen build the foundation for successful employment later in life. We are so grateful to the whole TopLine community for supporting youth in our community in this meaningful way,” says Mary McKeown, President of Keystone Community Services.