Northwest Arkansas non-profit Pedal It Forward is hosting weekly volunteer days in Bentonville and Rogers, in hopes of providing underserved locals with free bikes.
“We donate them to people who can’t afford bicycles,” Pedal it Forward Shop Manager Stuart “Stu” Jackson said. “It may be an 18-month-old to 2-year-old whose parents can’t afford bikes. Or, it could be a 60 to 70-year-old who needs a bike to get to work.”
Pedal it Forward operates by acquiring donated bikes, helmets, and additional gear to serve disadvantaged NWA individuals. Madison Huckaby, a Pedal It Forward Intern, explained the process simply.
“We’re literally pedaling it forward. We get the donations, fix them and send them back into the community,” Huckaby said.
All bikes are refurbished through a volunteer process.
“Volunteer nights are where any of our volunteers can come to participate and anyone who knows anything about bikes can come,” Huckaby said.
From 5:30-8:30 p.m on Mondays and 9 a.m-12:30 p.m on Saturdays, helping hands are welcome at either the Bentonville location on Wishing Springs Drive or 315 W. Olive St. in Rogers.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit provides bikes through what they call “Pedal Partners.” According to Pedal it Forward’s website, Pedal Partners are groups that cater to neglected or underserviced groups in Northwest Arkansas.
Volunteers are crucial during the busy holiday season.
“We’ve got the demand from our partners with 300 bikes in the next month,” Jackson said. “The volunteers are where we really need the hands.”
The bikes are distributed through the Department of Veterans Affairs, women’s shelters and school districts, Huckaby said. Official Pedal Partners also include reentry programs, churches, homeless shelters, foster care programs, and more.
For those not up to speed on how to fix a bike, Pedal it Forward has opportunities for amateurs to experts. “It really doesn’t have to be knowing how to fix a bike,” Jackson said.
“Even if you want to work on a bike and don’t necessarily know how to do it,” Jackson said, “there are volunteers here that are happy to share the knowledge.”
Volunteer opportunities also include working events, moving bikes, cleaning up the shop and more.
