Got a bike? Give a bike. Make someone smile!
When: March 12, 10 am - 2 pm
Where: Los Altos High School
The ReCycle Bike Drive is back and celebrating its 23rd year refurbishing gently used bicycles for kids in need!
“Covid put a damper on our ability to meet, collect and fix bikes in person these last two years,” says Margie Suozzo, the bike drive’s coordinator, “but we’re back in business and we sure hope you're ready to let go of those bikes gathering dust in your garage!”
The ReCycle Bike Drive will be held on Saturday, March 12, from 10am-2pm at Los Altos High School (LAHS). Stop by during that time with your underutilized bike and make someone smile!
Volunteers will be on hand to accept donations. Bikes collected at the bike drive will be spiffed up, repaired, and donated to students at local schools who can’t afford them. Each recipient also gets a bike helmet and a bike lock to keep both their noggin’ and bike safe. Local school officials are key partners in identifying students in need and in managing bike placement.
Beyond school placements, bikes are distributed to our partner, The Bicycle Exchange (bikex.org) which serves the local low-income community, and to Community Cycles and Good Karma Bikes in San Jose, organizations working to help the homeless population and former foster care residents, respectively, with affordable transportation and job skills training.
Bicycle Intake Guidelines
GreenTown welcome your donations but wants to make sure the bikes it gives away are like a new gift to the recipients, so consider the following questions before you donate:
Was your bike stored outside?
Has the bike been in a crash?
Is there significant rust on the frame (sections larger than a dime) or on the chain/cogs?
Are the derailleurs bent or damaged?
Can you move the seat post up/down?
If you answered "yes" to any of the following, GreenTown probably can't take your bike, but others can. In this case, here are some options:
Drop it off at Community Cycles or Good Karma Bikes in San Jose.
See if your waste hauler (Mission Trail Waste Systems or GreenWaste) can collect the bike through their bulky items collection program.
Recycle the metal through:
San Jose Metals Recycling, 1032 N. 10th Street, San Jose
Ranch Town Recycling, 775 Lincoln Ave, San Jose
Los Altos Hills resident, Kathleen Santora, started the bike drive more than two decades ago at St. Nicholas school. In 2012, with GreenTown’s help, the event was extended to the broader community. Partnerships with Los Altos High School and Bicycle Exchange have further improved the bike drive and our ability to get bikes into the hands of students and others who need them.
“We wouldn’t be able to do this without our wonderful partners! And we’re so appreciative of our volunteers who greet donors and wash and fix bikes!” Suozzo said. “This type of event not only helps GreenTown have a significant impact in enabling kids to commute to school by bike, which is healthier for the planet and their bodies, but also it engages volunteers (they love it!) and builds community!
To donate a gently used bike, stop by at LAHS on Saturday, March 12th, between 10am and 2pm.
To volunteer, sign up here.
For more info on GreenTown’s work, visit greentownlosaltos.org.
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