[Waste Connections] – Employees of Chiquita Canyon Landfill, a local business home to a 9.2 megawatt clean energy facility, helped make the holiday season brighter for children at the Child & Family Center by donating more than 50 bicycles.

Dozens of bicycles that were assembled by the landfill’s employees and their families over the weekend were delivered today to the nonprofit organization as part of Waste Connection’s 13th Annual Christmas Promise Bike Build program.

Christmas Promise Bike Build is a Waste Connections annual tradition of providing thousands of bicycles for underprivileged children across the country.

Now in its thirteenth year, with the help from partners and local businesses, Christmas Promise Bike Build purchases and assembles bikes each holiday season and donates them to local charities. The build-a-bike program is donating more than 2,000 bicycles this year to organizations throughout the United States.

“Chiquita Canyon is honored to be able to support the Child & Family Center this holiday season,” said Steve Cassulo, district manager of Chiquita Canyon. “Our employees and their families and our vendors and partners made today possible for these children. Nothing exemplifies the spirit of the season more than working together as a community to bring a child his or her first new bike.”

Locally, Chiquita Canyon built and delivered 53 bikes Monday to the Child & Family Center in Santa Clarita just in time for the holiday season. Child & Family Center is an invaluable nonprofit community organization which helps build a healthy Santa Clarita Valley by providing mental health, behavioral and education services to children, adults and families.

“The Child & Family Center is extremely grateful for the continued support of Chiquita Canyon this holiday season,” said Child & Family Center Foundation President/Executive Director Lois Bauccio. “It’s our mission to compassionately treat every child and adult as an individual that is respected and loved. Being able to make the season of giving a little brighter for our children and families is a wonderful holiday gift.”

At the Child & Family Center, children, adults and families can easily access the help they need in a safe and nurturing environment.

Responding to the community’s need for services, the Child & Family Center continues to grow and expand.

The Center provides children and adults the opportunity to live in healthy, supportive relationships that encourage them to become responsible, caring citizens. For more information, please visit the website.

About Chiquita Canyon Landfill

Chiquita Canyon is located in Castaic, California, approximately 3 miles west of the Interstate 5 on State Route 126 in the Santa Clarita Valley. It has been in continuous operation for more than 40 years and is owned and operated by Waste Connections, an integrated solid waste services company. Chiquita Canyon provides the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding Los Angeles communities with environmentally safe and efficient waste disposal services.

Chiquita Canyon, like other solid waste landfills, over time generates a greenhouse gas, methane, which can be safely converted into a valuable source of clean energy. Chiquita deploys a gas recovery system to collect methane which is then used to generate clean energy for nearly 10,000 homes each year.