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Pedals for Progress (P4P), in its continuing effort to recycle bicycles properly, is having a used bike collection sponsored by the Rotary Club of Branchburg. Anyone with an adult or child's bicycle in repairable condition is urged to donate his or her bike to this worthy cause. Petals for Progress does not accept "bikes for parts" or disassembled bikes. They also accept working portable sewing machines and sewing notions (no fabric, please).
Bikes and sewing machines can be dropped off rain or shine: 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday September 10, 2022 at Branchburg Municipal Building located at 1077 Rt. 202 North, Branchburg, NJ 08876.
Every year, affluent Americans buy 18 million new bicycles and discard millions of old ones, abandoning many more unused in basements, sheds, and garages. Most of these end up in our already overburdened landfills. Meanwhile, poor people overseas need cheap, non-polluting transportation to get to jobs, markets, customers, and schools.
Pedals for Progress (P4P) collects 3,000 to 5,000 items annually and transfers this material wealth to those more needy. To date, more than 164,000 bicycles and 5,600 sewing machines have been shipped to developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. In these countries the bikes are reconditioned by partner agencies and distributed at low cost to poor working adults. Bikes provide reliable transportation for commuting to work, transporting product to market, and greater mobility accessing health care and other services. Sewing machine shipments help initiate educational programs and generate income opportunities that may otherwise remain out of reach for many people. Steady employment for adults is vital to the development and success of struggling communities.
It costs on average $52 to collect, process, and ship each bicycle. A donation toward shipping costs is necessary for our continued success (suggested $20 per bike and sewing machine, minimum $10). All cash and material donations are fully deductible and a receipt will be provided on site. Pedals for Progress/Sewing Peace is a 501(c)(3) corporation and a registered charity in the states of NJ, NY, PA, CT, VT. Brochures explaining this innovative program will be available at the collection site. P4P seeks donations of wrenches for our overseas shops. For detailed information about our overseas projects and a current schedule of bicycle and sewing machine collections, visit our website at www.p4p.org.
For more information about Pedals for Progress contact Dan Matyola (908) 685-1090 danmatyola@gmail.com or Kip Bateman (908) 757-7800
If you would like more information about Rotary's many community service programs or information on how to join the Rotary Club of Branchburg contact Dr. Julie Juliano at 908-685-8080. Visit the Rotary Club of Branchburg Facebook page. Rotarians meet every Wednesday morning at 7:30 am at Stoney Brook Grille in Branchburg, stop in and find out about Rotary Club of Branchburg.
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