New Charitable Project Launched by Carabin Shaw

The Carabin Shaw Law Firm is pleased to announce a new charitable project in partnership with the San Antonio Police Officer Association (SAPOA), Cycle it Forward San Antonio.

What Is Cycle It Forward?

Do you remember your first bike? When you rushed to show your friends, when you couldn’t wait to take it out around the neighborhood, the feeling of freedom and independence filling your small body?

Maybe it wasn’t new. Maybe it belonged to someone else before, but that didn’t matter. Because, now, it was yours.

You could give that feeling to someone else.

CYCLE IT FORWARD, a newly-founded non-profit organization underwritten by Jamie Shaw and the Carabin Shaw Law Firm is donating used bikes to kids who would otherwise go without across San Antonio. We are dedicated to our community and believe that every child should experience the joy of owning their very own bike.

Why Donate a Bike?

You could donate anything – why donate a bike?

Parents across the United States are struggling to engage their children in healthy fun that doesn’t involve hours of screen time. A Pew Research Center poll found that two-thirds of parents cite social media and technology as the reason parenting is getting harder.

Creating elaborate schedules and routines that limit screen time would be great, but most parents don’t have the time or the energy for that. Fortunately, there’s an easier (and more fun) solution: Riding a bicycle. And you’ve got an old bike gathering dust in your garage.

Benefits of Cycling for Children

Riding a bike is more than just fun and engaging for children. There are a slew of benefits of riding a bike as a kid, including:

• Developing Coordination and Balance – Riding a bike stimulates the areas of the brain that control balance, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. 
• Providing More Time Outdoors – Spending time outside is beneficial for mental health as well as increased vitamin D levels. Time spent outdoors also improves attention spans, which are affected by technology use.
• Improving Physical Health – Biking stimulates many muscle groups, builds strength, builds lung capacity, and improves endurance. Also, it’s not a high-impact exercise, which makes it accessible for children who struggle physically. Children who regularly exercise can sleep better and have longer attention spans.

Your old bike can keep taking up space in your garage. Or, it could improve the life of a disadvantaged child in San Antonio, providing them with the opportunity to get off their phones and engage in their community.

The Need

A healthy childhood should be full of fun. Unfortunately, children in San Antonio are disproportionately affected by poverty – a 2020 census by the City of San Antonio’s Department of Human Services found that 53.4% of children ages 0-17 live below poverty level.

San Antonio is a wonderful city to raise a family in, but we’ve all been feeling the effects of inflation on our everyday lives. Essentials like food, gas, and clothing have shot up in price, leaving those affected by poverty to make difficult choices. Non-essential fun like bikes often must be pushed to the side by struggling parents. 

You Can Help

If you’re ready to share the joy of a new bike with a child in San Antonio, follow this link to find out how to donate. James Shaw and the Carabin Shaw Law Firm thank you in advance for helping make San Antonio a brighter city for youth.