Montgomery County, MD - Bicycles that are no longer being used by some can make a big difference for others. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s annual Bicycle Donation Drive on Friday, Oct. 14, will make it easy to donate previously owned bikes and ensure they will have a continued impact.
MCDOT is sponsoring the collection of child and adult bikes in partnership with Rockville Bike Hub and Bikes for the World. From 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 14, bikes will be collected (rain or shine) outside of the Montgomery County Council Office Building Garage at East Jefferson and Monroe Street in Rockville.
“This is a great way to help out your community,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Donate your unused or outgrown bicycles, and possibly change the quality of life for someone in need. Bicycles are great for recreation and can serve as a lifeline for residents and connect them to transit stops or destinations that would otherwise be just out of reach.”
Bicycles should be in good working condition or in need of only minor repairs. Rockville Bike Hub volunteers will refurbish the bikes and MCDOT will place them with low-income children and adults in the County through the MCDOT Bike Match Program or through the Rockville Terrific Kids program.
MCDOT’s Bike Match program started in June 2020.
“To date, our Bike Match program has received nearly 600 bike requests and we have placed nearly 300 donated bikes,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “However, that still leaves a need for about 300 bikes in just that program. We are hoping to be able to collect enough bikes to match a bike to everyone who has made a request.”
The bike donation event also will be accepting donations by check. Checks can be made out to the Rockville Bike Hub and left with staff at the donation site. Donations are tax-deductible.
To enhance the theme of the drive, community members can organize a bike collection at their school, place of worship or within their neighborhood and bring the bikes to Rockville on Oct. 14. For drives that collect 10 or more bikes, MCDOT will arrange to pick them up at a prearranged location.
For more information about the bike donation event, visit https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-dir/BikeDrive.html.
