LIFT is a student-run, nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce the barriers to finding employment and social services for local low-income community members. At LIFT student-volunteers work one-on-one with homeless, unemployed, and low- income clients to find affordable housing, secure jobs, apply for food stamps, provide free tax-filing assistance, and connect them to mental health services. LIFT’s client population is incredibly diverse. For example, students meet with ex- convicts, unemployed seniors, single mothers, and immigrants. The close relationships that volunteers have built with low- income community members have helped us identify gaps in the social services. The most noticeable gap is the lack of transportation assistance for the homeless and unemployed. Many LIFT clients are unable to go to job interviews or pursue continued education because they can not afford to take the T. Additionally, many clients are unable to take advantage of existing social services such as food banks, employment training programs, and healthcare programs because they are beyond walking distance for them. This recurring obstacle to social mobility within the Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston community inspired LIFT volunteers to create a program to provide low-income community members with free bikes, helmets, and locks to community members in need. The LIFT Boston Bike Project launched in the fall of 2009, when 5 LIFT clients each received a helmet, lock, and bicycle. In the spring of 2010, 10 more LIFT clients received helmets, locks, and bicycles. In the spring of 2011, 32 more clients gained free, sustainable transportation through the LIFT Bike Project. Clients have reported that receiving a bike has helped them get back on their feet, commute to new jobs, and exercise more often. Our goal is to continue to grow and provide 100 more low income community members with transportation assistance in the next 2 years. All clients earn their bike by volunteering in the community for at least 10 hours and attending required bike safety education and basic bike maintenance training. The LIFT Bike Project has a detailed application form which includes an individual budget. The application helps us identify clients who could benefit from this program. The recipients of the bikes, helmets, and locks are responsible clients who have shown need and desire to participate in the program. They are clients who are working with volunteers at LIFT and social workers on a consistent basis. This helps ensure that the bikes will not be sold by recipients and are serving their purpose of catalyzing individual growth. In order to collect and refurbish bicycles and make this project sustainable, volunteers have built several partnerships with local bike shops, local social workers, Bikes Not Bombs, Roll It Forward, Green Streets Initiative, and bike enthusiasts. The Cambridge DPW has offered to donate up to 100 bicycles each year to the LIFT Bike Project. Volunteers from throughout the community come to Quad Bikes, the nonprofit bike shop located at Harvard, every Monday night to refurbish bikes. While we have free labor and free bikes, we need funds to buy new parts for the bikes. We have also developed a partnership with J and B Importers to purchase helmets and locks at highly reduced prices. We need income to buy helmets and locks. There are very limited funds for the LIFT Bike Project and we are in dire need to keep this program going. In total, the average cost for each bike, including new parts, helmets, and locks, is $45. For just $4500, we can help 100 clients gain sustainable transportation and a new opportunity to exercise. The generous support of the Boston Grants Initiative would enable us to impact the lives of a great number of community members in need and fill the transportation gap in the social services in Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston.