Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Phoenix |Shifting Gears Bike Repair Mentoring for Youth

Shifting Gears Bike Repair Mentoring for Youth

Shifting Gears is a mentoring program for low-income youth. Students attend a workshop for six or more sessions to learn basic bike repair skills from adult volunteer supervisors. Students also attend a bike safety workshop. At the end of the program, participants may take home one of the bikes they've fixed. They are also provided with a helmet, lock and headlight.

The additional bikes that students repair are given to clients of our homeless program to assist them in employment transportation (after steady work is obtained).

With participants from 10 to 18 years of age, Shifting Gears is a productive after school program that enables them to meet adult role models, make new friends and acquire new skills. Bikes donated to St. Vincent de Paul, in need of repair, no longer have to be discarded or sold as scrap. Homeless individuals with new jobs also have their own healthy, reliable and free transportation to work.

Ideas for Fundraising Projects:

* You or your group can sponsor a bike to be repaired by our young mechanics which will be given to someone with a new job. The cost of tubes, a tire, and a chain is about $15. These are parts that many of our bikes need. Ten gifts of this size will provide ten bikes to help ten newly employed needy people keep their jobs.

* Your fundraising page can request donations of $30, which is enough to buy a lock, a light, and a helmet for one student in the Shifting Gears program. This will keep them safe on their new bike after they finish the program.

Recent Donors

Leslie Zschokke

Phoenix, AZ

Donation made in honor of Vince Placido
Allison,
This is such a fun idea! I'm glad I can help in the "crushing" of Vince!

Leslie Zschokke
emily ghan

Tempe, AZ

I've always known you were bonkers, Al.. Just didn't want to be the one to say it. Glad you said it first :) Regardless, you are the most wonderful bonker I know, and I am so excited for you and your bonk-tastic fundraiser! <3 emmy
Vince Placido

Tempe, AZ

Well Allison, let the games begin. Here is a little seed money, you may need a head start! j/k The bike program is amazing, great pick for your cause. Go Allison!
Allison Ghan

Tempe, AZ

Thanks for the hard work. Love those bikes!
philip mizzi

glendale, AL

Donation made in honor of Allison Ghan
Blessings on your project allison.
SVdP Volunteers

Tempe, AZ

Thanks to the many generous people that donated to Vince and Allison's causes in celebration of their wedding. Unfortunately, Vince's page expired, so the last minute donations from the reception are going to Shifting Gears. However, the final verdict is that Vince won by about $3, but he also vacuumed first, so they both ended up losers and winners in this competition... A little mix of humility and fun is not a bad way to start out their marriage. :) Thanks again!
Amy Laxton

Flagstaff, AZ

Allison- Keep riding all the way to the couch sister because Vince is going to enjoy tending to those floors!!
anne vogel

phoenix, AZ

Donation made in honor of Mary McCormack
Bicycles are cool!!
Christine Pauken

Tempe, AZ

Best wishes to both of you! May you always exchange vacuuming duties!
M L

Tempe, AZ