This Woman Gives Bikes to Children for Free

For a kid, having a bike means freedom. It means roaming around the neighborhood with friends, exploring, adventuring, and having a good time. It’s a simple joy and often a core part of childhood memories. 

For many low-income kids, a bike is something they and their families can’t afford. That is where Krista Richard comes in, CBC reports. Richard, a resident of Moncton, New Brunswick, has helped thousands over the last 14 years through her Bikes and Trikes for Everyone program.

A Program That Changes Lives
Bikes and Trikes for Everyone, founded by Richard and run by her and a number of volunteers, is active between April and October. Five-year-old Gracie Mae Brown picked out her favorite shiny pink bike from Richard’s garage out of over 80 options. Though 80 seems like a lot of bikes, she was one of over 400 kids on the waiting list, showing that children still enjoy spending time outdoors on their bikes. Bikes from Richard are helping children feel happier and more connected to their friends. “She’s been in love with it ever since. We go every evening for… a little walk as a family and she drives her bike,” Brown’s mother Natasha Lewis tells CBC.

Riding Around the World on a Bike
According to Global News, Richard was a physical education teacher for 30 years, only to retire and start the life-changing program. She herself is an avid bike rider and has biked around the globe — including in Morocco, Vietnam, Germany, Belgium, Holland and more. Biking has helped her when things in life have gotten rough, and she thinks of the sport as a sort of therapy on wheels. 

As bikes have gotten more expensive, more and more families have trouble affording them. Richard sees the two-wheel vehicles as a meaningful part of growing up. “They need something where they can just go and have fun,” Richard explains to Global News. “Summer, for me, in memories is all about getting on a bike and going around the neighbourhood with your friends exploring,” she adds.

For children, bikes are more than transportation. They provide connection, joy, and exercise. In the age of screens, Richard’s work shows that something as simple as a bicycle can have a lasting impact.