WBR Receives Major Grant from Yahoo Employee Foundation

World Bicycle Relief is the proud recipient of the Yahoo Employee Fund (YEF) Impact Grant, which will supply $50,000 to support the Kenya Bicycles for Educational Empowerment (BEEP) program!

Founded by Yahoo employees in 1999 with leadership from David Filo and Jerry Yang, the Yahoo Employee Foundation is a grassroots, philanthropic organization that gives Yahoo employees easy and accessible ways to give back to their communities. YEF is funded through employee donations – many of which are matched by Yahoo itself. Employees are then eligible to champion grants for organizations they believe in for groups of representative Yahoo employees to vote on. With the help of WBR staff Katie Bolling and Tricia Puskar, Carlos Perea decided to apply for a great through the Yahoo Employee Fund for World Bicycle Relief. His first effort led to a $1,000 grant but he dove deeper and was recently accepted for a $50,000 grant! When Carlos got the email confirmation that his request was approved for BEEP, he literally jumped up and down for joy in the middle of JFK airport. It was welcome good news after a long business trip.

The experience has led him to encourage other WBR supporters to check with their employer about similar funds or matching grants. Yahoo is focused on doing well while doing good. A key part of that is giving back to their communities and the organizations their employees support. And one of those employees is Carlos Perea who was a key factor in WBR securing this amazing grant.

“For many Yahoos, bicycles are tools to achieve fitness, freedom, and fun. We’re usually trying to put power INTO bicycles. For those who use them as tools to commute and transport goods, services, and knowledge, bicycles provide a means of growing their network and improving their standard of living. Regardless of your usage of the bike, it’s pure and simple. You can achieve more with a bike….. Bicycles have changed my life in so many ways, it really just makes me happy to be able to provide the opportunity for those changes in other people’s lives.” – Carlos Perea, WBR Supporter & Yahoo Employee

Way to go, Carlos! And a huge thanks to YEF!

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