Bikes for Kids Wisconsin hosts Giving Tuesday Telethon to donate bikes to children in need

A Wisconsin nonprofit is raising money to donate bikes to children in the community.

Bikes for Kids Wisconsin will host its annual Giving Tuesday Telethon and Virtual Auction on Dec. 2, where it will accept donations to help in its mission of distributing bikes to children in the community.

Bikes for Kids is Wisconsin’s largest community bike center, where organizers offer used bikes for sale in southern Wisconsin. The goal is to create a more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable community by providing bikes at a lower price or for free. 

Since 2017, Bikes for Kids Wisconsin has distributed 14,135 bikes. It has also kept 108,000 pounds of trash out of the Dane County landfill through recycling efforts.

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The organization offers various programs, including a Bike Mechanics youth education program, a Bike to Work program for refugees and immigrants, and a Guided Rides Series for middle schoolers to assist them in navigating their community on a bike.

“Bikes are far more than recreational for the people we serve,” said Kristie GoForth, executive director of Bikes for Kids Wisconsin. “They are often a lifeline for those who can’t afford to own a car, are working multiple jobs, or can’t get their kids to school. Bikes are low-cost transportation that’s also healthy for the user and for the environment. If you think about it, you’ll realize that there are few societal challenges that cannot be improved by more people biking.”

The Giving Tuesday Telethon and Virtual Auction is an opportunity for community members to get involved in the organization. 

Those interested in donating can call (608) 405-0385 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 2 to donate via telethon. The donors’ first name will be announced on the livestream from the organization’s YouTube channel. Virtual auction bidding begins on Nov. 30 and closes on Dec 2. At 3 p.m.

The telethon will also feature various celebrity guest appearances, including James Edward Mills from The Joy Trip Project and National Geographic Explorer, Joan Collins, Madison’s first woman cyclist, Dr. Joe Gothard, superintendent of Madison Metropolitan School District, Helen Osborn-Senatus from the River Food Pantry, Mike Gomoll, founder of Joey’s Song and more.

Bikes for Kids Wisconsin’s goal is to raise $15,000 to support its bike giveaway efforts in 2026 of 2,000 bikes. 

“What we’re doing is creating a culture change of how people think about bikes,” GoForth said. “For people who have been financially stable most of their lives, they see bikes as a recreational option or maybe a way to lower their carbon footprint through commuting. The people we serve are the people who’ve been excluded from the cycling industry for decades.”

The organization accepts monetary and bike donations along with volunteer efforts year round. Those interested can visit https://bikesforkidswi.org/ to learn more.