Dustin LaFont’s friend once told him that kids vote with their feet. LaFont sees this statement come to life day in and day out as Baton Rouge youth cycle in and out of his nonprofit organization, Front Yard Bikes.
“If they don’t believe in what’s happening, they’re going to find a way to stop showing up,” LaFont said. “They vote with their feet what they believe is worthwhile and worth their time.”
Front Yard Bikes offers programs to middle school-aged children and beyond to build confidence, community and mechanic skills one bike at a time.
Dustin LaFont is the owner of Front Yard Bikes, a nonprofit organization that builds community and teaches kids mechanical skills.
The evolution of FYB was unexpected for LaFont, who taught and helped his 10-year-old neighbor fix a broken bike in LaFont’s front yard 13 years ago. Soon enough, he was moving the program into a volunteer-run warehouse, quit his job as a teacher and committed to FYB full time, opened a resale operation and invested in a property in Mid City.
“We worked together to fix one, and after that he told 20 of his best friends,” LaFont said. “It was kind of like wildfire, especially amongst that age group of 10- to 13-year-old kids.”
Now FYB has created an Earn a Bike program, a community garden space, internships, Friday bike ride events and elective classes for eighth graders to become certified mechanics. Last year, they served 359 kids, while 275 bikes were earned, LaFont said. Over the years, he said a “couple thousand” kids have come through the program, and “well over 10,000 bikes” have been earned.
LaFont said the internship program is particularly impactful, as it has helped many kids stay in school. The internship opportunity starts in eighth grade, and participating youth get a small stipend in return for helping run the program that they’ve been a part of. They have to stay in school and maintain a certain GPA to participate in the program.
The community garden at Front Yard Bikes teaches young adults about healthy eating, healthy living and how to grow food, Dustin LaFont said.
Recently, FYB has formed a partnership with Westdale Middle School, where LaFont was a teacher. Every week, middle school kids hop on a bus and arrive at FYB’s resale shop for an elective class where they are trained to become certified mechanics. The program can then transition into automotive, HVAC and other career opportunities, LaFont said.
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