REACHcycles to donate 23 adapted bikes for children with disabilities

REACHcycles, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, will donate custom adapted three-wheeled bicycles to 23 children with disabilities during a May 21 event. Organization officials will select the recipients from among a pool of applicants and present them with their new bikes at AMF Bakery on West Laburnum Avenue.

REACHcycles aims to address the needs of children and veterans with disabilities who are unable to ride traditional bikes or afford therapeutic cycles. It has been active since 2014 and has donated more than 770 cycles to people in the Richmond region since then.

During the event this month, each child will undergo evaluation and fitting to ensure that their donated AmTryke cycle is suited to their individual needs. Volunteer certified therapists, as well as student therapists from Virginia Commonwealth University, will conduct the evaluations. The bikes themselves have been assembled by a team of volunteers, including veterans, school groups, and church members.

James Howard, a former U.S. Army captain and president of REACHcycles, who himself is a quadriplegic due to combat and training injuries, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community.

"It is our honor at REACHcycles to continue our work through this all-volunteer nonprofit and support the community by providing more cycles to children and veterans who cannot ride a normal bike,” Howard said. “Most of these children have been told they may never ride a bike. We are honored to provide them with the proper equipment to prove them wrong. Their smiles are priceless."

REACHcycles collaborates closely with local physical therapists, Children's Hospital of Richmond, and various organizations to identify people in need of a customized AmTryke cycle. These cycles, with an average cost of $800 (ranging from $400 to $2000), are tailored to the age, size, and specific requirements of each recipient.

For details about REACHcycles, visit www.REACHcycles.org.