C&V Giving Back For the Holiday- thoughts?
 

I know most of you have spare bike parts sitting around you'll never use or really don't need. How about we turn them into something for people less needy? Here's what I'm thinking:

We find some people who can use a bike who wouldnt otherwise be able to own one for whatever reason. Could be an under-privledged kid or maybe a homeless or not well off adult? I'm not sure who yet but I'm pretty sure I won't have trouble locating someone in need in Philadelphia for example. It's probably the same in your city.

So in my case assuming I find this person, I'll volunteer to build a bike and donate it to them for the holidays. I know I can make time to at least do one bike. But I'd need your help. Depending on the receivers size I might have a frame and some other parts, but I'm sure there are things I'm missing to complete the build. So that's where the rest of us come in. Donate your parts as needed to the "builder", in this case me. Maybe there are several of us who would volunteer to be a builder/presenter.

You can feel good about yourself, maybe have fun building a bike or donating a part, get rid of some things you have laying around and feel less gluttony, and someone else in need can get a great bike.

Who'd be in? At this point perhaps just post here and say if you'd be in for either being a builder, donator of parts or time, or maybe you just know someone in need who you can refer us to. Please don't flood my inbox just yet, a post here will be fine.

I'll officially plan to be a builder and I will find someone in need in my area to donate to. Assuming I get some volunteers once I figure out who i'm building for I'll post here with specifics for parts needed for the build - if any (I had a lot of stuff... :) )

Et toi?

There is a local church group here that sets up shop every year to do just that. They take in donated bikes, overhaul them, and distribute to needy families in the S.F. Bay Area. They start in the beginning of November, and run though the holidays - every night after work and weekends.

While I am not a church-going type, I make it my business to set up my work stand with them as commitments allow, and turn bikes out for them to give away. In addition, I hook up with a LBS, who has connected with a county program to do bike inspections at all the local elementary schools.

So, what I guess I'm saying is that my build-time is pretty booked this time of year - but feel free to hit me up for parts. :)

Weirdly, it doesn't seem to be possible to volunteer for charity work in my town. It doesn't help that there isn't much "proper" charity work being done here, but I've tried and everybody's booked solid until the end of time. I guess they'd rather have drunk drivers and vandals who've been sentenced to community service than someone who actually WANTS to help.

But for all that, I still rebuild kids' bikes and try to give them away, though even that seems to be difficult. It may be the fourth-largest non-suburban town in Colorado, but I guess everyone here is fine :-/. If anyone in the general north-CO area knows of a worthy bike-cause I'd be happy to hear of it.

This sounds great. I'm betting Austin's local Yellow Bike Project does something like this as well, and I might join up with them. But I'd be interested in donating parts if I have the necessary ones.

The City of Boston is doing a bike donation program:

http://rollitforward.blogspot.com/

I'll be dropping off three kids' bikes tomorrow.

Neal

i guess if i can find a local donation outfit maybe that will be the way to go instead. I'll have to look into this a bit more.

Where's this church group you speak of? I'd be willing to help out.

I work with Community Bike Works in Allentown. Basically, it's a charity that tries to get kids (9-17) off the streets through bikes. They have mentors, tutors etc working there teaching the kids bike mechanic skills, school work, management skills, delegation and a positive role model. It's a great charity and one that I find myself dropping off many many bikes to. I donated over 30 bikes this past year, roadside, personal bikes and cheap yardsale scores. What they don't use for the kids, they sell to a guy in NYC and use the proceeds from that to reinvest into the charity. Let me know if anyone wants anymore information. Here is the link
http://www.communitybikeworks.org/

holiday, Rob,

If you find a bike that needs some parts, and I have them as spares, I'd be happy to drop them off on one of my trips to or from NJ on a Saturday.

PM sent. They always need help, especially if you can bring a stand and tools.

Thanks!

If you come across any kids bikes (boys BMX are the most popular) let me know and I'd be thrilled to meet up and get them from you. I have a specialized hard rock girls MTB in my basement (frame and fork) that would be a good city bike for someone who needs a bike. Perhaps I'll build that up and donate it to them....

There are lots of community bike shops springing up all over the place too, if you find a few people you can basically start your own. Check out the listing in my link... where I volunteer we're glad to get anything usable and what's broken or worn still goes to scrap so we can afford lube and stuff, or folks use the old stuff for bike art and homemade tools, etc.

Hey John, who's this organization and how can I lend my hand in fixing up some bikes?

In the past thirty days, or so, Bicycles for Humanity - Thunder Bay, has shipped close to, if not over, 1000 bicycles to Africa or other destinations.

We lost our loaned work shop facility/storage area and are looking for new digs. With the forced move, we had to get rid of bikes, fast! Both Namibia and Sierra Leonne, Africa, will benefit from our efforts. The last load goes out on Saturday.

Our inventory of bikes is drastically depleted. There are no more spare mountain bicycle parts, wheels, tires or inner tubes left to ship. Everything, except about 75 nice old Ten Speeds and Roadsters are left for our winter works program.

Anyway, Merry Gift Giving Holiday, of whatever we are supposed to call Christmas these days, to the folks in Africa. I might add that the young man who pushed hard for one of these shipments of bicycles, will actually greet the container in his village in Sierra Leone. Nice going Bassie and good luck with your project.

He built a school there last year.

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