BOISE, Idaho β The Boise Bicycle Project is working at full capacity to prepare more than 600 dream bikes for their annual holiday giveaway, the most they've ever taken on in the program's history.
The increased demand reflects growing community needs, according to Devin McComas, executive director of the Boise Bicycle Project.
"We're having people coming to us saying that they have that need. It might be federal furloughs, it might be SNAP benefits, it might just be the economic climate right now," McComas said.
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To help turn children's bike dreams into reality, the nonprofit is asking community members to adopt a bike through their sponsorship program.
"So far this year, we have whale shark bikes, we have mermaid bikes, we have Sonic the Hedgehog bikes," McComas said.
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All bike drawings, created by children, are posted on the Boise Bike Project website, where community members can sponsor their favorite designs. Donations range from $25 to $500, helping the nonprofit cover costs for parts and repairs needed to build each custom bike.
"What's really cool about that is when you're adopting that dream bike, if you are, for instance, paying for the bicycle that has a fox tail on it, we're going to try and make sure that bike has a fox tail," McComas said.
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For those unable to make financial contributions, the organization offers a range of volunteer opportunities.
"You can bake cookies if fixing bikes isn't your thing. We're looking for people to reach out to families and make sure they get to the event," McComas said. So any of those skill sets, if people are willing to give their time, we are absolutely happy to have them."
The program creates memorable moments when children receive their custom bikes, making the extensive preparation from the volunteers and staff worthwhile.
"We had a little girl who drew a bike with a roof and an engine, and she was jumping up and down, and she's screaming, that's my bike, that's my bike," McComas said.
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