![General-Featured-Image-678](https://library.solari.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/General-Featured-Image-678.jpg)
By Shelly Meron
Seeking to find the safest routes for kids to walk in the neighborhood and to start a community conversation about safety, Beaulieu teamed with Richmond-based nonprofit Center for Human Development, the Richmond Youth Student Empowerment center, Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia’s office and volunteers at Verde Elementary to create the project.
Its name derives from the “Popsicle Index,” which refers to the percentage of people in a particular area who feel that a child can go to a nearby store, buy a Popsicle, and return home safely.