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Bicycles For Humanity - Vancouver 2010

Bicycles For Humanity will be shipping a container full of 400 bicycles to Namibia this Spring. We're pleased to announce that several North Shore schools are assisting the collection along with Cheam Elementary School in Chilliwack.

If you have an adult-sized Mountain or Touring Bike that is in workable condition (no missing or rusty parts) you can donate it at any of the collection sites below. We are sorry but Bicycles For Humanity does not pick up bicycles from individual homes.

The Cyclebetes Spinathon taking place at Collingwood School

Where: Collingwood School, Morven Campus, 70 Morven Drive, West Vancouver BC

When: Friday April 23rd 4:00PM-Saturday April 24th 4:00PM

Canyon Heights Elementary School

Where: 4501 Highland Boulevard, North Vancouver

When: Monday April 26th-Friday April 30th 9:00AM-4PM

Ridgeview Elementary School

Where: 1250 Mathers Avenue, West Vancouver

When: Saturday May 1st, 9AM-4PM

For more information, contact Scott Slater at sslater@sd45.bc.ca

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Bicycles For Humanity 2009 A Huge Success!

The efforts of hundreds of students and dozens of Bicycles For Humanity volunteers has paid off. Over the weekend of May 2-3, B4H – Vancouver collected more than 500 bikes which are being shipped to Oshikango, a town on the northern border of Namibia.

This year, several schools enthusiastically participated in the collection including Canyon Heights Elementary, Ridgeview Elementary and Cheam Elementary School. Adding to the efforts of these schools was a major donation from the Mennonite Central Committee which supplied 100 bikes.

A special thank you is in order to the late Horst Mueller. Mr. Mueller was a collector and preserver of bicycles and bicycle parts. His vast collection was gifted to the global community as all of the bicycles and parts he meticulously cared for have been donated to Bicycles For Humanity. In all, Mr. Mueller donated more than 100 bicycles. Bicycles For Humanity has been privileged to be a part of Mr. Mueller and his family's legacy of support for Namibia.

The project is gaining momentum and several schools across the Lower Mainland have expressed an interest in working together next year to ship several containers of bikes to people who need transport to meet their basic needs. If you have an interest in joining the Bicycles For Humanity movement in the Lower Mainland, please contact Scott Slater (sslater@sd45.bc.ca).Bicycles For Humanity - Vancouver will not be collecting bikes until the Spring of 2010. This site will be updated in early 2010 with collection details.

B4H – Vancouver is grateful to several companies who have supported our movement for the last three years. Terminal Systems Inc. helped with the collection by purchasing a forty foot container in which the bikes are being shipped. The organization which distributes the bikes, Bicycle Empowerment Network Namibia, will turn the container into a bike shop. American Cartage transported our container all around Vancouver at no cost.

Zim shipping reduced the rate of shipping the container to Namibia and Cratex supplied the container to TSI for a reduced price. Norco, also for the third year in a row, donated dozens of bike frames, rims, and hundreds of forks helping to make our shipment of bikes mechanically sustainable. Finally, for the second year in a row, Big Steal Box lent us a container for several weeks to store bikes temporarily before adding them to our major collection.

With strong student interest, supportive corporate partners, a dedicated volunteer base, and a vital purpose, B4H – Vancouver is already looking forward to expanding its collections next year.

Please visit the B4H site for pictures of the collection as well as photos of the bikes in action.