FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.- The nonprofit organization Pedal It Forward has been working tirelessly with the holiday season quickly approaching, receiving and fixing up bicycles before the Christmas donations.
Pedal It Forward is a 501(c) organization fixing up used bikes to donate back into their community since 2014. They have donated over 6,000 bikes since the start and plan to donate 2,000 this season.
The bikes that come into the shop are in decent condition, but volunteers spend time bringing them back to life for their next home. Bikes are donated to lower-income families, children, and adults.
Joe Maneiro has been working as an operations manager since the start of the company.
“Not many people have the means or access financially to afford a bike,” Maneiro said. “We work with pedal partners and community members who are in need of a bicycle for low money or free of charge.”
Volunteer opportunities are open to the public three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Volunteers sort donated bikes and have close inspections to ensure each bike is working properly before it is sent to the next owner. Pedal It Forward’s main location is in Rogers and has an in-home body shop for easy accessibility for the fixing process.
One of the volunteers, Marty Heine, rode bikes with a past employee who told Heine to come to volunteer after donating two old beach bikes.
“I didn’t know anything about working on bikes so I thought this would be a great way to learn about bikes,” Heine said.
NWA has a huge bike population with nearly 40 trails in the area. Many people rely on bicycles for transportation whether that be to work, school, or around town. Heine said many homeless people come into the shop and request bikes since it may be their only form of transportation.
“They have come back to talk to us and tell us how it’s made their lives better,” Heine said.
On the first Monday of every month, the program allows guests to come in and get bikes. Over 250 donations will be made to the Boys and Girls Club on Dec. 3.
Like many nonprofits, Pedal It Forward relies on aid and donations to help give back to their community. Through the support of donations over time, Pedal It Forward has been able to get people back to riding bikes.
