Formed November, 2008 as an impromptu holiday bike-a-thon, and incorporated in January, 2009, Bike Lady, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all-volunteer charitable organization based in Columbus, Ohio, focused on providing NEW bikes, helmets and locks to the Franklin County Children Services (FCCS) Holiday Wish program for children with a history of abuse, neglect and abandonment. A buck is a buck is a bike! EVERY dollar raised goes directly towards the purchase of new bikes, helmets and locks.
Take five minutes and get the 2008 "backstory" in this video.
Take a few more minutes to read a 2011 article by Shari Heinrich - a writer, employee of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, avid cyclist and cycling advocate. Article starts on page 2.
Give a kid a bike. Change their life.
Over four years, Friends of the Bike Lady have donated over $125,000 and put 1,211 kids safely on a new bike with helmet and lock:
125 new bikes in Year 2008
212 new bikes in Year 2009
524 new bikes in Year 2010
351 new bikes in Year 2011
Goal for 2012: 750 bikes, helmets and locks
Reaching the 2012 goal will enable Bike Lady to distribute the majority of bikes, helmets and locks to FCCS, and to also provide some two-wheeled holiday miracles for children in the care of Licking, Fairfield, Pickaway, Madison, Union and Delaware Counties.
"I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can."
- Edward Everett Hale
Be a Friend of the Bike Lady. Donate today!
No contribution is too small
Close your eyes and think about every childhood holiday or birthday gift you received. What is the single distinct gift about which you remember the day, event, color, style, brand and what you did the moment after receiving your gift? For many, this positive lifelong memory will be the day you received your first new bike. Now, imagine the tears of joy and squeals of glee that children with a history of abuse and neglect would experience if they see a shiny two-wheeled surprise under the tree in 2012. Positive lifelong memories are in short supply for many of these kids. Help the Bike Lady create this magical experience.
FCCS annually serves nearly 30,000 children with about 4,500 youth under its direct care each holiday season. Please help the Bike Lady fulfill a fraction of those holiday wishes and maybe spread the love to contiguous central Ohio counties, too.
Why bikes? The Bike Lady believes in the power of bicycles. Read more...
a BUCK is a BUCK is a BIKE
All Bike Lady administrative costs are underwritten by its founder. Therefore, 100% of your donation is used to purchase bikes, helmets and locks.
Can you help the Bike Lady? It's simple. Donate securely online via PayPal, including credit cards, or by mail. Or go shopping to personally select and purchase a bike, helmet and lock. Read more...
Economic times are tough right now. Really tough. Truly, no contribution is too small. Donate a single helmet or a lock. Or five bucks is five bucks. It all adds up. We'd be grateful to receive it. Band together with friends, co-workers or church members to sponsor a bike.
Perhaps large corporations can challenge each department to pool donations to sponsor a bike.
It takes about $100 to put a kid safely on a bike, including helmet and lock. The 2012 goal is to fulfill the wish of 750 kids with a new bike, helmet and lock. We can do it if you will help.