Crime & Safety

San Leandro Cop Collects $17,000 To Give Away 280 Bikes

Bikes for Tykes program benefits poor kids served by the Davis Street Family Resource Center.

Santa will wear blue next week when 280 San Leandro kids get free bikes and helmets thanks to a program led by San Leandro police officer Louie Brandt.

Brandt led the department's "Bikes for Tykes" program.

In that capacity he raised $17,000 in donations from local residents and businesses, and wrangled a deep discount out of the Walmart on Davis Street, where the bikes were purchased.

Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We're going to have a lot of smiling kids next week," said Rose Padilla Johnson, executive director of the Davis Street Family Resource Center.

Davis Street will hold a lottery next week to decide which of roughly 1,800 eligible boys and girls will get a free bike and helmet.

Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The children are all San Leandro residents. To be eligible their families must have incomes of $18,000 a year or less.

Brandt has 14 years on the San Leandro force, the last six of which he has spent as one of three officers assigned to police the schools.

"It's all about the kids," Brandt said. "I wanted a way to have more interactions with the kids."

In addition to giving away the bikes, Davis Street will be handing out food baskets and toys to needy families.

Padilla Johnson said toys are in short supply.

She has put out a last minute appeal asking people to drop off new, unwrapped toys at the Family Resource Center 3081 Teagarden Street.

The office is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday to Thursday and 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on Friday.  Staff will also be on hand this Saturday and Sunday.


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