How we're increasing food access with bikes

Some of our volunteers and staff at Civic Works’ Real Food Farm

For the past two weeks, Bikemore has been partnering with Civic Works to support them in delivering fresh produce and meals to older Baltimoreans around the city. In the face of COVID-19, older folks are facing increased restrictions on mobility as people who are at higher risk for severe illness. We know that transportation is a key component of food access. 

And we know bicycles are integral to our city. To increase the Civic Works’ capacity to reach more clients, Bikemore set out to build a volunteer force, and our Bikemore community has gone beyond expectations. Since we began bike deliveries, thirty cyclists have delivered food on their bike. The diversity of riders is astonishing: some come on their road bike and a backpack, some with panniers and crates, some with a bike trailer, and some with their e-bike to assist them in riding longer distances. 

Civic Works is continuing to grow their program so they can reach more people, and we want to continue supporting them. If you’re interested in joining this effort by doing bike deliveries, sign up for a volunteer orientation below. 

ALL YOU NEED TO VOLUNTEER: 

• A working bike that you feel comfortable riding

• Some sort of equipment to carry food (at least 5-10 lbs) while you bike

• A cell phone to communicate Bikemore/Civic Works staff and for GPS

• To feel comfortable riding alone without support - you'll be responsible for any repairs you may need along the way

• Availability on either Thursday and/or Friday anytime between 9am-3pm

• Be healthy; not showing any symptoms of illness

• Must be 18 years or older

Sign up

Fill out this form to sign up for a virtual volunteer orientation on May 11th or 12th.

#BikemoreSolo: Ride an Existing or Planned Part of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network

View fullsize

Click to enlarge

We’re embracing Bike Month with a social distancing cycling group on Strava, using #bikemoresolo to take photos on rides, and weekly bike challenges posted each Monday.

This week the challenge is to take a ride on an existing or planned section of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network, a planned 35-mile trail loop.

By connecting three existing trails — Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls, and Herring Run — only 10 additional miles are needed to close critical gaps that would create this interconnected trail network. The trail will providing residents with a safe and active way to access the city’s major institutions and destinations, including universities, hospitals, museums, parks, schools, waterfronts and employment centers. Since 2015, we’ve been working in partnership with Rails-to-Trails and numerous community partners on this project.

Check out the map below, and pick a section to explore! Then tag us and #bikemoresolo in your photos.

Read more about the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network here.

Questions about the trail network? Contact us at Jed@bikemore.net and our partners at Rails-to-Trails at Jim@railstotrails.org.

And be sure to follow the Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition page on Facebook to stay up to date with the project.

Volunteer for Brandon Scott and Bill Henry!

Field organizing for political campaigns has to be completely reinvented due to COVID-19. Since campaigns can’t reach voters at their doorsteps, they have had to pivot to organizing primarily by phone and text. We are helping organize volunteers to make calls and texts for our endorsed candidates, and we need your help. Just a few hours of volunteering a week can reach thousands of potential supporters.

With Bikemore’s organizing base put to work, we can make a real difference in helping elect the candidates we’ve endorsed. 

Brandon Scott sees a new way forward for Baltimore, including strong commitments to complete streets, bike lanes, trails, and improving public transit. As Comptroller, Bill Henry will conduct needed audits and serve as a voice of reason on the city’s Board of Estimates. Both of these candidates will advance Bikemore’s agenda of a livable city that puts people ahead of cars.

Can you commit a few hours of time each week leading up to the June 2nd Primary to volunteer for our endorsed candidates Brandon Scott for Mayor or Bill Henry for Comptroller? 

Sign up here to volunteer

After you fill out the form, we’ll be in touch shortly with details about next steps.

Weekly Update: Meet and Greet with Brandon Scott, Weekly Bike Challenge, & More!

Volunteers help deliver food by bike in partnership with Civic Works and Real Food Farm

The June 2nd Primary to elect our Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President and City Council will be conducted by mail. You must ensure you are registered to vote and your address is up to date. | Click here to do that right now. 

We are hosting a meet and greet with Brandon Scott, our endorsed candidate for mayor, on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:00PM. Bring your questions about transportation, complete streets, and Brandon’s vision for a new way forward in Baltimore. | Register Here

TRANSIT + BIKE SHOP STATUS

• Bike Shops: Shops are open. Call your shop for specifics. 

• Scooters: Lime has redeployed scooters in Baltimore. Spin scooters are free for all healthcare workers, and Jump is offering free rides to all essential business workers. For Spin, sign up here. For Jump, ask your HR rep for a code or ask them to fill out this form.

• Transit: Click here for the latest MTA status.

WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR

• Slow Streets: Following last week’s successful Slow Streets Pilot that turned sections of parking on East and Swann Drive in Druid Hill Park to a trail for people walking and biking, the pilot program will be expanded to Lake Montebello along Curran Drive. This will provide more recreation space around the entire lake. Click here for our map of the Slow Streets Pilot Program.

• Delivering Food by Bike: Bikemore has partnered with Civic Works and Real Food Farm (see photo above) to add capacity to their food delivery program by organizing volunteer to deliver food by bike. Check out some of our amazing volunteers!

• #IBikeIVote2020: ICYMI, check out our live stream where Liz Cornish and Jed Weeks talked about our endorsements and what vote by mail means. 

VIRTUAL EVENTS

• Bikemore Meet and Greet with Brandon Scott
  Thursday, May 7th, 6:45pm-7:45pm | Register

BIKE MONTH | #BIKEMORESOLO

• May is Bike Month! Join us social distancing cycling group on Strava, tag us with #bikemoresolo on your rides, and complete our weekly bike challenges!

• Weekly bike challenge: Ride to your favorite mural! 

WHAT WE'RE READING, WATCHING + LISTENING TO

• Our team has been tuning in to the Untokening’s series about transportation justice during Covid-19. Check out the recording of their recent Transformative Talk.

Vote by Mail, and a Chance to Ask Brandon Scott Your Questions

Register to Vote and/or Update Your Address

The June 2nd Primary to elect our Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President and City Council will be conducted by mail. Vote by mail generally improves turnout and access to democracy, because it doesn’t require visiting a polling place--which can be a barrier to voting for people lacking access to reliable transportation, working, caring for children, etc. 

But, such a quick change to vote by mail introduces new challenges. If your address is out of date with the Board of Elections, you aren’t going to receive a ballot.

Click here to make sure you are registered to vote and that your address is up to date

You have until May 27th at 9:00PM, but you should just do it right now.

Meet and Greet with Brandon Scott on Thursday, May 7th

Join Bikemore for a virtual meet and greet with Brandon Scott, our endorsed candidate for Mayor. Bring your questions about transportation, complete streets, and Brandon’s vision for a new way forward in Baltimore.

Click here to read our endorsement of Brandon Scott, and click here to see Brandon’s response to the #IBikeIVote2020 questionnaire.