Following the Islamic tenet that if you don’t thank people, you’re not thanking God, this last Sunday, MCC hosted a celebration of a major milestone: MCC/SRVIC’s Bikes for Refugees program has now delivered more than 1000 bikes! 

These bikes were given to refugees fleeing from 33 countries, who started from scratch to build new homes for themselves in the Bay Area. One went to a man who commuted by bike between his jobs at a Panda Express and a Shell gas station. Having reliable transportation allowed him to maintain consistent employment and support his family. Bikes also went to a single mother and her two school-aged children. Because she is illiterate, passing the driving permit test was especially challenging, so she relied heavily on her bike to attend ESL classes and run essential errands, and the bikes allowed her and her kids to ride together to school. These are just a few examples. Many clients have told us that having a bike reduced their reliance on public transportation, enabling them to save time and money, and also that having a bike gave them a sense of independence and confidence as they adjusted to life in the U.S. 

The MCC/SRVIC Bikes for Refugees program  relies on and recognizes these dedicated volunteers: 

• Soha Ahmed, Isa Farooq, Muhamad Haydar, Ameen Kunbargi, and Daood Larsen, who have provided background support from the beginning;
•  Mirza Baig, Musodiq Bello, Jafar Abdul Khadar, Bobby Khawis, and Nadia Sha,n who reliably pick up bike donations and transport completed bikes to those who need them;
• Hafiz Nabizad and Yaniz Pineda, who offer translation services;
• And a fabulous team of mechanics: James Howard, Ahmed Hussayni, Dawne Kittredge, Steve McGinnis, Ayman Tomeh, and Zohair Qadri.
• This program clearly wouldn’t have been possible, however, without the heads of our mechanics team: Scott Amundson and Bryce Yang, who’ve been driving from Oakland and San Jose, respectively, consistently every Wednesday for almost four years to apply their prodigious technical and creative skills to getting these bikes ready to ride.
• Background coordination for the program is supplied by MCC/SRVIC volunteers Chloe Chaudhry, Sammer Lashin, and Shalina Vohra.

Also acknowledged were our partner organizations, the nonprofits who share our mission and — despite their own prodigious programs providing bikes to the community — have been willing to donate bikes to the MCC/SRVIC project for our clients: Bad Business Model Bikes, Bay Area Bike Rescue, Del Valle High School’s bike program, Good Karma Bikes, and the SF Bike Coalition, plus the Contra Costa Health Department which has been providing us with free bike helmets for Contra Costa residents. 

Looking forward, the MCC/SRVIC Bikes for Refugees team is 100% committed to continuing to serve the community.  With a program that’s running like such a well-greased machine, there will definitely be opportunities to serve. 

For more information about MCC/SRVIC’s Bikes for Refugees program, please contact refugee@mcceastbay.org.