Front Yard Bikes is a youth workforce development program and community bike shop teaching participants ages 6-18 mechanics, urban gardening, cooking and welding/fabrication. As a drop-in program, participants can decide how they want to be involved and choose the specific activities that lead to different benefits. Community youth serve as the core decision-makers, program operators and program developers. FYB works to address health equity by empowering youth voices, offering paid internships, growing food for healthy cooking classes and providing bikes for mobility. The program’s goal is to impact the youth of Baton Rouge one bike at a time, one heart at a time, because the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.
Dustin LaFont is the proud executive director of Front Yard Bikes, a youth workforce development program providing safe spaces for youth to learn bike mechanics, welding, urban gardening, cooking and riding safety; the program also provides after-school jobs. Dustin graduated from LSU with a B.A. in history and a master’s in teaching. He has been awarded the Blue Cross Blue Shield Angel Award and the Dorothy Richardson Award. Dustin also is a 2022 CNN Hero and received the City Year Alumni Leadership award in 2023. His passion began in 2010 while repairing bikes with a few kids in his front yard. As demand grew, the community rallied behind the project with more than 3,000 youth — and even more bikes — participating. Most importantly, he’s a father of three and credits his wife, community and faith for all his success.