Eugene Volunteers Fix 200 Donated Bikes for Kids in Need

In Eugene, Oregon, volunteers are transforming a collection of used bicycles into gifts that will put 200 local kids on two wheels.

Shift Community Cycles hosted a volunteer repair night on February 5 at their new workspace in the old Sykes building on Charnelton Street and Broadway. Community members showed up with tools and enthusiasm to fix up donated bikes for the organization's Free Bikes for Kidz program.

The organization recently held a donation day that brought in all 200 bicycles from generous neighbors. Now the real work begins: making sure every bike is safe and ready to ride before finding its way to a child who needs it.

"We donate bikes to kids in the community and it is all dependent on the community," said Kendsie Channing, executive director of Shift Community Cycles. The organization relies entirely on donated bikes, volunteer mechanics, and community partnerships to get bicycles into the hands of children.

The Ripple Effect

Shift Community Cycles shows how one organization can connect the dots between people who have bikes to give and kids who dream of riding one. Volunteers don't just fix gears and patch tires; they're creating independence and joy for young people who might otherwise go without.

The community bike shop model works because everyone plays a part. Some people donate bikes collecting dust in their garages. Others spend evenings adjusting brakes and inflating tires. Local partners help identify families who need bikes and handle distribution.

"It really takes everyone to make Eugene a cycling friendly place," Channing said. The new workspace gives the organization more room to store, repair, and prepare bicycles year-round.

For kids receiving these bikes, the impact goes beyond transportation. A bicycle means freedom to explore neighborhoods, ride to friends' houses, and experience the independence that comes with having wheels of your own.

The organization continues to welcome volunteers and donations as they work toward their goal of giving every child who wants a bike the chance to have one.