Helping Handles -- Bike Repairs & Bike Locks

Helping Handles is a mission created by three Jackson High School students who want to collect, re-purpose, and redistribute used bicycles. Helping Handles has partnered with Jesus Said Ministries, a non-profit organization based in Akron that provides food and clothing to the less fortunate. Although Jesus Said is evangelistic, there is no preferential treatment to those of any faith.

Bicycles provide inexpensive and efficient transportation. For someone living in poverty, a bicycle can be the difference between employment or unemployment, shelter or sleeping outdoors, and access to food or being hungry.

The founders, Alex, Michael, and Neb, are seniors at Jackson High School. “Helping Handles” was their idea for the Jackson Academy for Global Studies Capstone Project. Their "take action" initiative will positively impact the disadvantages with the tool of transportation.

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The end goal is to have 30 fully-working bikes to donate to Jesus Said Ministries, which will then be distributed to the less-fortunate in downtown Akron. In order to achieve this goal, Helping Handles fundraising will cover two separate expenses: bike locks and bike repairs. 

Each bike needs a bike lock to ensure that each bike will not be stolen from their owner. At an estimated $5 per bike lock (and 30 bikes), the total expense for bike locks is around $150.

Many bikes are in need of some repairs. Although some of the older and more worn bikes received will be recycled for parts for the salvageable bikes,  some expenses still remain. Estimating $45 dollars in both repair costs/parts for each bike (30 bikes), our expense for repairs is around $1350. (Neb, Alex, and Michael hope to do most repairs with volunteers or by themselves to minimize costs.)

The two estimates ($150 and $1350) add to a total fundraising goal of $1500.

*Note: any money leftover will either go toward buying new bikes, extra locks, will cover other expenses for Helping Handles, or will be donated to Jesus Said Ministries.

Thank you for your generosity, and please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have.

[email redacted]

***DISCLAIMER: All withdrawals of donations will be handled by Mike, the father of Michael, on behalf of Helping Handles. All proceeds will still go towards Helping Handles and the various expenses of Helping Handles described above.