Homeless San Diegans Are Bicycling Toward Independence

Homeless San Diegans Are Bicycling Toward Independence

Homeless San Diegans Are Bicycling Toward Independence On a sunlit Thursday morning in downtown San Diego, the sidewalk in front of Father Joe’s Villages buzzes with an excited energy. Nearly two-dozen people, dressed in everything from street clothes to aerodynamic Lycra, gather around a lineup of bicycles and tricycles. Among them are experienced riders from local clubs like Major Taylor and first-timers tentatively gripping handlebars. Towering above most, clad in a neon yellow cycling jersey, is Deacon John Roberts — chaplain, cyclist and the force behind a growing movement that is, quite literally, helping people out of homelessness one mile at a time. Father Joe’s Villages is Southern California’s largest homeless services provider, offering housing, healthcare, food, job training and addiction recovery programs. The organization serves thousands of individuals and families each year, aiming to help them achieve self-sufficiency with dignity. Deacon Roberts is nearly out of bicycle…