Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison will collect gently used bikes on Saturday, Jan. 12, as the first phase of its third season. The bikes will then be refurbished and donated to 2,500 area youth later this spring.
Founded in 2016, Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison (FB4K) gave away some 400 bikes in its first year. In 2018, they were able to refurbish and give away 1,100 bikes. This year, their goal is to give away 2,500 bikes and FB4K is scheduling volunteer groups from area employers, faith groups and sports teams to help with the 2019 effort.
Area residents can donate extra bikes of any size at the following Unity Point Health–Meriter Clinic locations from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. on Jan. 12.
◆ Stoughton – 100 Silverado Dr., Stoughton, WI
◆ Monona – 6408 Copps Ave., Monona, WI
◆ Deforest-Windsor – 4200 Savannah Dr., Deforest, WI
◆ Deming Way – 2275 Deming Way, Middleton, WI
◆ McKee – 3102 McKee Rd., Madison, WI
◆ Fitchburg – 2690 Research Park Dr., Fitchburg, WI
Bikes can also be dropped off at the temporary FB4K Workshop at 4546 Verona Rd. next to Home Depot.
For 10 weeks following the collection, hundreds of volunteer cleaners, preppers and mechanics will refurbish the bikes to make them safe and reliable, and then give them away through a network of area community organizations on March 23 and 24.
“Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison believes it’s possible that any kid that wants a bike, can have access to a bike,” said FB4K Madison Executive Director Andy Quandt in a statement. “Do you remember getting your first bike? We want to make sure that feeling of pride, freedom and opportunity is available to every kid in the Madison area. The extra bicycles we have in our garages collecting dust makes this possible and FB4K Madison can make it happen. It’s really amazing to watch how one dusty old bike, with a little bit of love, can easily turn into a smile and even change a life.”
