Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison
Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison is creating a sustainable supply of bicycles for all kids! We collect extra bikes from the community, fix up the donated bikes with the help of volunteers, and give them back through a diverse network of community organizations already working with area youth. We believe it’s possible for any kid who wants a bike to have access to a bike they call their very own.
Summary
Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison began in 2016 as the 4th affiliate organization in the Free Bikes 4 Kidz national family.
We run an annual January-March program consisting of 3 main stages: bike collection, rehab, and giveaway.
1. The Bike Collection (January) – We try to collect as many bikes as possible in one morning at the very beginning of the season. This is done by having drop-off locations spread around the city and coordinating a volunteer effort to collect the bikes in U-Haul trucks and bring them to the central warehouse location.
2. The Bicycle Rehab Season (January-March) – Over the next 10 weeks, we bring in hundreds of volunteers to help us CLEAN, PREP AND TUNE every single bike before it gets given to a kid. Individuals can volunteer. We especially like scheduling group volunteer shifts for area employers, faith groups, business groups, clubs, etc.
3. The Giveaway! (late March) – We give away all of the bikes in one weekend through a series of community partner organizations already working with local youth.
In 2018 we gave away 1,100+ bikes through the following partners:
Badger Rock Middle School, Badger Rock Neighborhood Center, Bayview Foundation, BiciClub Latino de Madison, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, BlackHawk Middle School, Centro Hispano Health Wellness program, Christ Presbyterian Church, Common Wealth Development, East High School Club Kiwi & Latino Student Union, Epilepsy Foundation Heart of Wisconsin, Goodman Community Center, Hmong Language and Culture Enrichment Program, James Madison Memorial Latino group, Jewish Social Services, Kennedy Heights Community Center, KinderReady – Children’s Hospital of WI Community Services, Latino Academy of Workforce Development, Latino Health Council, Latino Nation Verona High School Club, Leopold Elementary School, Lussier Community Education Center, Madison Area Urban Ministry, Madison East-Side Community Center, Madison Metropolitan School District (NEON), Middleton High School, Mornoe Morning Optimist, MSCR Frank Allis, MSCR Schenk Elementary, MSCR- Meadowood Community Center, Nuestro Mundo Community School, Omega School, Packer Townhouses & Community Learning Center, Padres e Hijos en Accion, Padres e Hijos en Accion – Program Bikes, Red Caboose Child Care Center, Inc – School Age Programs, RISE Wisconsin, Inc. (Formerly Community Partnerships), Sandburg Elementary School, Schenk Elementary School, Simpson Street Free Press, The Sunshine Place, Tri 4 Schools, UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence, Vera Court Neighborhood Center
Board Position
We are looking for board members willing to be community ambassadors and connectors who can help us make the connections we need to secure partnerships. Our biggest need is to grow our way to financial stability. We welcome but don't require personal donations from board members. We do ask board members to use their voices and their talents to help attract resources to the organization. Also, it helps if you like bikes and are willing to get your hands dirty helping us move, fix up, and give away bikes in the January-March timeframe!
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