Local nonprofit offers free bicycles to those with transportation issues
Bike Walk Savannah is offering free bicycles for people who need help with transportation during this time.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Bike Walk Savannah is offering free bicycles for people who need help with transportation during this time.
With all that is going on in the world right now, having reliable transportation is as important as ever.
Bike Walk Savannah wants to make sure that if someone needs to get to work or run an essential errand, they have a way to do so.
The shop is full of bicycles right now, but Bike Walk Savannah is hoping to empty it out in the coming weeks.
They're giving free bikes to those who submit a request on their website.
“Prioritized for people who are essential workers or perhaps they need a bike to be able to run critical errands, or to support vulnerable people in their community,” said Executive Director of Bike Walk Savannah, Caila Brown.
The staff is working as quick as they can to repair the bikes they have to make sure they’re in good shape.
In 24 hours they received more about 50 requests from people in need.
“Requests have come from people all over. From people who need to get to the grocery store, to people who need to support their senior neighbors who can’t leave their homes, from people who need to get to jobs like hospitals, correction offices and schools," Brown explained.
If you have reliable transportation, you can still be involved- Bike Walk Savannah is still encouraging you to do just that.
On Fridays they’re leading a virtual group ride.
"You can follow along on social media and do the ride at your own leisure. On Wednesday's we're also doing Wednesday Walks, where we give you a prompt and encourage you to get out and share something special about your neighborhood."
They’re hoping to start matching people to bikes by the end of this week.
They say they have about 60 bikes they’re fixing up right now . That can cost about $100 per bike.
The request form for a free bike can be found here, and you can donate to the cause here. They’re also doing a survey about how COVID-19 has impacted transportation in our area. If you want to follow the virtual rides and Wednesday Walks, follow them on Twitter at @bikewalksav.
Bike Walk Savannah is also accepting donated bikes for this new program.
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