Nearly a year after going independent, bike nonprofit keeps the wheels spinning
On Coyier Lane, a little elbow grease goes a long way.
Almost a year ago, Bikes for Kids Wisconsin, a nonprofit dedicated to giving Wisconsin residents access to bicycles and education about bike maintenance and traffic safety, shed its national affiliation, branching off from Free Bikes 4 Kidz. Executive Director Kristie GoForth will tell you that independence has come with its own challenges, but it has also given the nonprofit room to grow.
And grow it has. Bikes for Kids gave away 2,518 bikes this year, smashing its previous record of 2,126 in 2022, for a grand total of 12,609 bikes given away since 2017.
"I would say overall (going independent) has been fantastic. I actually haven't seen any negative consequences of making that move," GoForth said. "This year we've had just an incredible demand for our services, and we're hopeful that someone's going to be really awesome to us and gift us a seven-figure gift."
Toward the goal of long-term sustainability, the sale of nicer, more upscale bicycles and public bike repairs has brought in $37,000. New to the nonprofit are membership offerings that GoForth hopes will also boost its finances.
Starting at $10 per month, annual memberships provide local cyclists opportunities to use the Bikes for Kids Wisconsin workshop's space, tools, professional bike mechanics and workbenches to do maintenance and repairs on their own bikes. Memberships come with perks like discounted merchandise and special bike accessory orders from hundreds of brands.
The organization frequently collaborates with other nonprofits, such as Habitat for Humanity, providing residents of newly built homes with bicycles, or the Boys and Girls Club, whose Milwaukee chapter is using a number of damaged bikes from Bikes for Kids Wisconsin to teach kids about bike repair and maintenance.
"We have an incredible number of nonprofits and we have great resources," GoForth said. "I think we're all picking up the slack. We're all feeling the pressure of increased food prices and cost of living increases."
Coming soon: New digs
A change of scenery is also on the horizon.
Two years ago, GoForth carved out a workshop space for the nonprofit in a former car repair shop and pottery studio at 354 Coyier Lane. With the structure headed toward demolition, though, GoForth has designs on a nearby space on which to build the nonprofit's forever home at the end of the workshop's current lease in January 2027.
But that will require big money, which Bikes for Kids Wisconsin has struggled to obtain.
"We have not been able to get funding despite the fact that this is health and wellness, this is transportation, this is mental health for kids, this is workforce development, economic mobility," GoForth said.
GoForth's mission extends beyond putting kids on two wheels. She's advocating for a more comprehensive view of bicycles — not only their recreational value and health benefits but also their utility. Bikes are not toys, GoForth said. They're a crucial means of transportation, the only means of transportation some can afford. They cut down on CO2 emissions, they free up traffic lanes, and they get riders from point A to point B with a nice workout to boot.
GoForth says transportation equity is best demonstrated by example, and she offers plenty.
There's the high school student whose bike was stolen, making his 5-mile journey to and from school and wrestling practice nearly impossible — until Bikes for Kids was able to get him rolling again. A bike meant the difference between unemployment and a career in construction to a young man fresh out of high school, GoForth said.
"I'm a fierce advocate for my people, because I hear their stories and I see how these bikes can change their lives by giving them access to those opportunities," GoForth said. "For the people we serve, a bicycle is very much economic mobility."
The nonprofit's next big fundraising event is a Dec. 3 telethon featuring celebrity guests such as former Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and state Assembly Rep. Shelia Stubbs. More information on Bikes for Kids Wisconsin is available at the nonprofit's website , bikesforkidswi.org .
