88Bikes Foundation and Keen Partner Up

PRESS RELEASE:

KEEN Inc. – a leader in hybrid outdoor performance products, including footwear, socks and bags – is announcing a partnership with 88bikes Foundation. The non-profit dedicated to providing bikes to young people in developing countries is the newest KEEN Hybrid.Care partner.

“88bikes is an outstanding organization. Through the power of their all-volunteer staff and the donations that they raise, they have given more than 400 bikes to kids in refugee camps, orphanages and other challenging living situations in developing countries,” says Linda Tom, Marketing Manager at KEEN. “KEEN is proud to support their efforts. They are a perfect fit with our Hybrid.Care program, which partners with social and environmental organizations actively working towards the greater good.”

Click on ‘more’ for the rest of the press release and more pictures of happy kids…

KEEN will launch the new partnership with 88bike at the Interbike International Trade Expo, which takes place September 23 to 25 in Las Vegas. As part of the launch, KEEN will match the first 100 donations to 88bikes. Donation will buy bikes for their 2010 initiative, which will focus on delivering bikes to children who have been rescued from human trafficking in several countries across a few continents. Attendees can come to the KEEN booth (#5231) for details about the donation program.

Additionally, Dan Austin, founder of 88bikes, will be at the KEEN booth each day of Interbike at 4:00 PM to talk about the program and the 88bikes 2010 initiative.

As a Hybrid.Care partner, 88bikes will receive funding from KEEN to provide tools and bike maintenance training for bicycle recipients, in addition to the matching donations for bikes.

“We are honored to receive support from KEEN and to join the company of their other impressive Hybrid.Care partners,” said Austin. “Through their support, we’ll have a strong start to our new campaign, hopefully providing more bikes than ever to kids in need.”

Hybrid.Care was created in 2004 to support social and environmental organizations that have paved the way for change through community, education and understanding. Since 2004, KEEN has partnered with more than 20 global environmental, conservation and social non-profit organizations, and has distributed more than $1.5 million. Other current partners include American Whitewater, Leave No Trace, The Conservation Alliance and the Youth Outdoors Legacy Fund.