BikeFlights.com, the bicycle shipping service for cyclists, has announced the expansion of Buck Up for Bikes, a grassroots advocacy fundraising program. The program is a collective effort among BikeFlights.com’s business, its customers and the program’s beneficiaries. Two new organizations, Trips for Kids and Little Bellas, have joined the program for 2017 while the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) and the Amy D. Foundation both return as beneficiaries. BikeFlights.com has also increased its fundraising commitment for 2017 to US$10,000.
“Giving back has always been important to us at BikeFlights.com,” said William Alcorn, Owner of BikeFlights.com. “As our company continues to grow, we’re also growing our efforts to support the future of the sport.”
New beneficiaries
Both new Buck Up for Bikes beneficiaries work to get more young people excited about riding bikes. Between them, they create opportunities for boys and girls from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds to try the sport, learn basic skills and have fun while doing so.
“Little Bellas is thrilled to partner with BikeFlights.com to get more girls on bikes,” said Sabra Davison, Cofounder and Director of Little Bellas. “With their Buck Up for Bikes program, we continue to expand our national reach in efforts to get more girls on bikes. We are able to offer more scholarship and equipment assistance, seed new programs and ensure that our programs are affordable for all families.”
Trips for Kids Marin Executive Director Kim Baenisch said, “At Trips for Kids, we believe in the transformative power of bicycles. Our cycling programs aim to build self-esteem, inspire healthy lifestyles and instil environmental values. Since 1988, TFK has introduced more than 172,000 underserved youth to the world of biking. TFK is thrilled to be partnering with BikeFlights.com through their amazing Buck Up for Bikes program in 2017. We are very excited and grateful for this new opportunity to work together and connect more kids to the wonderful world of biking.”
Building on 2016
Since the Buck Up for Bikes program launched in 2016, BikeFlights.com customers have had the option to contribute US$1 to any of the designated non-profit organizations when they book their bike shipping online. BikeFlights.com collects and tracks all donations, plus the company covers all costs of administering and publicizing the program.
In its first year, BikeFlights.com raised a total of US$7,000 for NICA and the Amy D. Foundation, far exceeding its original goal of raising US$1,000 per organization.
“We can’t thank BikeFlights.com enough for their enthusiasm, creativity, and drive with the Buck Up for Bikes program,” said Austin McInerny, Executive Director of NICA. “This model allows consumers to support organizations that get people on bikes, while allowing those organizations to focus on their programs. We regularly point to this as a model for how companies can help causes they believe in.”
Director of the Amy D. Foundation Dan Dombroski said, “The Amy D. Foundation encourages women through cycling, inspiring the celebration of healthy challenge and empowering the confident pursuit of lofty dreams. As an organization, we depend on support both from within the cycling community and through industry partners that value and enable the programming. Now in its second year, the Buck up for Bikes program not only brings in needed financial resources, but also represents a creative way to blend community and industry involvement in order to raise awareness of the importance of the Amy D. Foundation mission. We are proud and honoured to be involved.”
For all four of its partners, BikeFlights.com also facilitates staff travel with their bikes. For example, the company helps attendees of the NICA National Conference ship their bikes to and from the conference each June, and it helps up and coming young, female racers participating in the Amy D. Foundation’s programs get their bikes to and from races.
