<div><p>When South Carolina teacher, Katie Blomquist realized this shocking fact about her students, she set out on a seven-month journey to do something about it. </p><p>In an interview with the Global Citizen, Blomquist explained that 90 percent of the families at her school are living at or below the poverty line. " A lot of kids don't get new clothes, or their own beds," she said, "So I chose a bike, because it gives them a sense of ownership."</p><p>The teacher at Pepperhill Elementary was on a mission to purchase bicycles for 650 primary school students. </p><div><figure><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_1250px.jpg 1250w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_1350px.jpg 1350w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_1450px.jpg 1450w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_1550px.jpg 1550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2434-jpg__5081x3629_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale-2_GH_content_1630px.jpg 1630w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank">Global Citizen/ TR Photos and Video, LLC</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>One year ago, Blomquist started the GoFundMe campaign "Every Kid Deserves A Bike!" with the goal of raising $65,000 to purchase new bikes for every child. In about 3 months, she raised $80,000 and was able to purchase a bike for every single student!</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><div><figure><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1250px.jpg 1250w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1350px.jpg 1350w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1450px.jpg 1450w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1550px.jpg 1550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2381-jpg__5472x3648_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1630px.jpg 1630w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank">TR Photo and Video, LLC</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><div><figure><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1250px.jpg 1250w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1350px.jpg 1350w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1450px.jpg 1450w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1550px.jpg 1550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/img_2411-jpg__4228x3020_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1630px.jpg 1630w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank">TR Photo and Video, LLC</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><div><figure><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1250px.jpg 1250w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1350px.jpg 1350w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1450px.jpg 1450w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1550px.jpg 1550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/aq7b1019-jpg__4824x3446_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale_GH_content_1630px.jpg 1630w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610" target="_blank">TR Photo and Video, LLC</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Blomquist says that afterwards, parents approached her to say that their children have changed since getting new bikes. Before, they would spend their time after shcool playing video games or watching TV, but now, they spend their afternoons playing outside - on their brand new bikes!</p><p>"It's so nice to see them doing this healthy, productive entertainment," she said. </p><p>Read more about Blomquist's work on <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/this-teacher-raised-80000-to-buy-a-new-bike-for-ev/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=global&utm_campaign=general-content&linkId=36359610">Global Citizen</a> and on her new nonprofit, <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/GoingPlaces2017">Going Places</a>.</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p></div>