Craig Dodson a former national calibre racing cyclist and the founder and executive director of Richmond Cycling Corps, which operates the nation's only competitive cycling program designed exclusively for youth living in public housing.

At its core, Richmond Cycling Corps is an outreach program designed to break young people free from the cycle of systemic poverty. Dodson believes that programming, in this case cycling, is not powerful enough on its own to combat the vast ills of poverty. However, when coupled with a powerful spectrum of resources and strategies, programming can be a means to engage and retain young people in life changing solutions.

The program provides access, above all else, to mentors. Youth are then connected to high quality emplyoment opportunities, academic support, financial literarcy, driver's licenses, bank acounts, and any form of support needed to overcome challenging circumstances and escape poverty.

The cycling programs have been vastly successful under Dodson's careful eye, with youth taking home two state championships and being consistently ranked 3rd in the state of Virginia among 15 other programs -- while being the only high school cycling team representing a public school.

The battle cry of Richmond Cycling Corps?

CANT STOP, WONT STOP. They are working tirelessly to open up new horizons for young people trapped in the margins of society.

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/19/us/cnn-hero-craig-dodson/index.html

Video Profile: http://www.cnn.com/videos/living/2016/05/19/cnnheroes-craig-dodson-mixed-pkg.cnn

Richmond Cycling Corps.

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Craig Dodson

Craig Dodson, Richmond Cycling Corps