Volunteers will assemble 600 bikes for kids during annual Build A Bike

Who: United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania staff and volunteers representing more than 50 companies; Wendy Koch, senior director of regional engagement, United Way.

When: Media are invited to attend on Wednesday-Friday, June 25-27, between 10 and 11 a.m.

What: Over the course of three days, United Way volunteers will assemble 600 bikes for kids during this year’s Build A Bike event. Each day at a different community park, 20 teams of volunteers will work to assemble 10 bikes per team. Bikes will then be distributed by United Way to partner agencies serving Allegheny, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland counties. Every bike is inspected by a bike safety expert and is distributed with a helmet and a lock. This year’s Build A Bike is made possible by WestPenn Power, Highmark Health, Ebara Elliott Energy and FedEx.

Why: Recognizing that everyone deserves to have a positive start toward adulthood and opportunities to fulfill their potential, United Way funds partner agencies that meet basic needs, and organizations that prioritize the wellbeing and development of young people. In 2023 alone, United Way invested $1.5 million in 30 agencies working to level the playing field for students from pre-K to high school and beyond.

In 10 years of Build a Bike, United Way has distributed 2,100 bikes to kids and this year expects that total to exceed 2,700. United Way volunteers work as teams to ensure that 600 children in our region get their own bikes, helmets and locks. Bikes are a great way to encourage outdoor play, independence, physical activity and bonding experiences with guardians.

Where:

June 25: Cranberry Township Community Park, Jaycee Shelter; 111 Ernie Mashuda Dr., Cranberry Township, PA 16066.

June 26: Mammoth Park, Shelter 13; 171 County Park Rd., Mount Pleasant, PA 15666.

June 27: Millvale Riverfront Park; 501 Lincoln Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15209.