The Gift of a Bicycle
Courtesy Krista Richard, Bikes and Trikes for Everyone
Krista Richard (center) makes bicycles available to as many kids as possible.
Krista Richard has a collection of bicycles and tricycles she’s fixing up. She’s not planning to sell the bikes but to give them to kids as part of a program she started called Bikes and Trikes for Everyone.
Richard, who lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, collects donated bikes with the help of a small team of volunteers. Between April and October, after doing any necessary repairs, she holds giveaways. Kids get to choose a bike out of several available options.
In the past 14 years, Richard has given away thousands of bikes. She says it’s a good way to encourage kids to play outside at a time when video games and other activities often keep them indoors. Riding a bike provides fresh air, exercise, and more.
“If you get a bunch of kids on their [bikes], then they get to know each other and then the families get to know each other,” Richard told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). “I think the more time you spend outside, the better.”
Richard also gives some bikes to adults to encourage parents to ride with their kids.
Bikes and Trikes for Everyone has proven so popular that there’s a waiting list, so Richard relies on community members to continue to be generous. In May 2026, she posted a request on the Bikes and Trikes Facebook page.
“I have given out 116 bikes so far, but I still have a lot of kids on the waiting list…especially for 20”, 24” and 26” bikes. Please continue to donate your gently used bikes. Thank you,” Richard wrote. Along with the request, there was a list of people who had already donated.
Richard says that as long as people keep donating, she’ll keep doing the giveaways because bikes make kids happy.
“Just to see their joy, their smile, it makes everything worth it,” she told the CBC.