Remember your first bike - the wind blowing through your hair - the sound of the chain as you pedaled faster, building up to speeds you never knew before.
Learning to ride has been a rite of passage for boys and girls, and it’s been the mission of the nonprofit Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K) to get kids riding into happier, healthier childhoods, according to the organization.
The charity collects donated bicycles (new and gently used), organizes volunteers to clean and repair them, and then gives them away to kids in need, along with a new helmet.
“We are an entirely volunteer-run organization,” said Sprague Paynter, Free Bikes 4 Kidz Atlanta communications manager.
The organization was created in founder Terry Esau’s garage in Minnesota (2008). Since then, the nonprofit has expanded to eight cities, including Atlanta.
According to Paynter, with the help of 250 volunteers, Atlanta’s FB4K gave away more than 400 bikes in 2018. Their goal is to match Minnesota’s annual donation of 5,000 bikes.
“We want to replicate that success in Atlanta,” said Paynter.
Paynter says the nonprofit’s growing success stems from its deep roots cultivated in each community. By partnering with other nonprofits and local schools, recipients are identified based on FB4K’s inventory.
In Atlanta, their partners include Atlanta Public Schools and Sheltering Arms, as well as nationally recognized groups such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the global humanitarian group International Rescue Committee, which helps people whose lives have been upended by war, conflict or natural disasters.
The group's mission is, "Through our work, we empower our youth, fight childhood obesity, and reduce our environmental footprint."
The backing of local like-minded partners will continue to play a role in the success of FB4K, according to the group. Organizations interested in helping to identify children in need, volunteers interested in helping to clean and refurbish bikes, and all who are interested in making donations should visit their website fb4katl.org.
Information: www.fb4k.org
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