#woomgives 2023

Here at woom, the only thing we love more than bicycles is making children happy. In fact, we’re on a mission to build high-quality bikes that inspire children (and their parents) to fall in love with cycling. Why? We believe that the world is a better place with more active transportation, and there’s no better time to start cycling than childhood.

That being said, we can’t do it alone – our partnerships are vital. Each year, woom seeks out opportunities to give back and donate bikes where they really make an impact. We look for organizations that share our passion for bettering the lives of children through the transformative power of bicycles.

Last year, woom was able to touch the lives of many families, including partnering with Basecamp Collective to get bikes back to families affected by Colorado wildfires. This year in 2023, we’re grateful to have impacted lives locally in Austin, across the US, and even internationally. Follow along as we recount some standout moments where woom was able to make a difference and change lives, then head over to Instagram and check out #woomgives to see what your support has made possible this year!

C4 Foundation

Starting off in the spring, woom was honored to join in a partnership with the C4 Foundation, whose mission is to help Navy SEAL families reconnect and heal when SEALs come back from deployment. Not only were we happy to provide children’s bikes directly to dozens of Navy SEAL families, but we were also able to gift a fleet of bikes to remain at the C4 Ranch for use during Family Retreat Programs, designed to help SEALs’ families engage in nature and forge meaningful connections.

We firmly believe time spent biking in the great outdoors with family is priceless, and we’re pleased to help facilitate that – especially for families of those who’ve served our country.

Ghisallo Cycling Initiative

Our partnership with Texas-based youth bike advocacy group Ghisallo Cycling Initiative extends back several years, and with good reason. With a focus on promoting health, sustainability and joy through cycling, we are fully aligned with Ghisallo’s core purpose.

Shortly before Earth Day rolled around this year, woom made a donation of 200 bikes for Ghisallo to distribute to families in Title 1 schools within the Austin Independent School District (AISD). In the words of Kari Kuwamura, Executive Director of Ghisallo, “This donation, timed perfectly with Earth Day and Bike to School Day, not only encourages eco-friendly transportation but also brings the joy of cycling to numerous students.” Many of the donated bikes made their way into the hands of children who otherwise had no bicycle, and allowed them to participate in group rides.

Other donated woom bikes were strategically put to use in the creation of two new bicycle fleets at youth bike clubs in Austin and San Antonio. Still other woom bikes (our smallest woom 1 balance bikes) were given out alongside car seat giveaways, in a collaborative effort between Ghisallo and local safety coalitions. Through these thoughtful and impactful initiatives, Ghisallo Cycling Initiative is not just distributing bikes; they are investing in healthier, happier, and more connected communities.

Bay Area Bike Project x Salesforce

At the start of summer, woom partnered with the Bay Area Bike Project (BABP) and Salesforce to put on a charity bike build in San Francisco. Salesforce interns stepped away from their desks and instead got hands-on experience building scores of woom 3 kid’s bikes, while woom employees provided assistance and quality-control. After the event, the bikes were donated to children on the BABP’s submission list.

“The bike build was an amazing experience that united people from all walks of life around one incredible mission: getting more kids on bikes,” said Jeff Henry, woom experiential marketing specialist. “Thanks to the Bay Area Bike Project and Salesforce, 80 more kids will get to experience the joy of riding a bike.”

It helps finding partners that share a mission; in this case that’s getting more kids on bikes. “These partnerships are huge for the Bay Area Bike Project,” said Danielle Drier, founder and executive director of the Bay Area Bike Project. “They enable us to continue the work we do throughout the year, including supporting our family rides, our women's group, and our Everybody Rides! program, which gets underprivileged youth on bikes.”

woom Trade-In Events

On several occasions this year, woom has hosted a trade-in event at our Austin headquarters during our monthly woom SHOWROOM. Customers were incentivized with store credit to bring in their old bikes, scooters, or balance bikes in order to swap them out for a woom bike. 

Of course, we aimed to get more local riders on high-quality lightweight woom bikes. However, the trade-in event was about more than just that. We also donated all of the traded-in bicycles and scooters to Yellow Bike Project so that they can get refurbished and live another life. The Yellow Bike Project is an Austin-based non-profit community bike shop dedicated to empowering individuals through active transportation, and educating individuals on bicycle maintenance.

Bikes for Maui

Our hearts go out to those affected by the Maui wildfires this summer. When the wildfires hit the small town of Lahaina, Hawaii, thousands of residents were forced to evacuate and lose all of their belongings, including children's bikes. And while nothing can ever replace the lives and community lost during this disaster, the survivors still had to carry on - no doubt yearning for a sense of normalcy or even just a pleasant distraction.

To support families impacted by the wildfires, we felt compelled to give back to those in need. With the help of our logistics partner (SEKO Logistics) and our boots on the ground (Mana Mentors), woom was able to get bikes back into the hands of kids and spread some joy where it was desperately needed. We are happy to help get the children of Maui back on bikes and on the way to rebuilding their lives.

Spreading Hope and Warmth in Ukraine

The ongoing war in Ukraine and resulting refugee crisis has left countless Ukrainians displaced. Many families were forced to flee with only the few possessions they could manage to carry by hand. Knowing that bicycles can both provide joy in a time of despair and a crucial transportation option– woom was motivated to make an impact.

This fall, we have partnered with Atlanta-based non-profit Unity Beyond Limits, Inc to ship over 80 bikes and mobility toys overseas to Ukrainian children. While some of these items were donated by our own team of woomsters, a good amount of bikes were traded-in bikes and toys from customers who participated in our local trade-in event here in Austin to support families in Ukraine.

That’s not all. Recognizing the extra space available in a packed bike box – and the long journey the cargo must undertake – we also stuffed each box with kids’ winter clothes, an invaluable resource for beleaguered Ukrainians as they approach winter.

We are honored to support Unity Beyond Limits, Inc. in their mission to “deliver resources that address immediate needs of communities facing war and disaster”, and we can’t wait to see Ukrainian children experience moments of joy on their bicycle or toy.

Our Belief: Bikes Make the World a Better Place

Here at woom, we care deeply about the well-being of children – from our own backyard to the other side of the world. We hold a strong conviction that children are happier and healthier when they have access to a bicycle, and ultimately we believe more cyclists make the world a better place.

From giving back to our military personnel, to getting bikes into the hands of those less fortunate, to providing wheels to those affected by disasters, we’re honored to have had a lasting impact on children around the world.

We need to acknowledge our gratitude for our partner organizations; we couldn’t have made as far-reaching an impact without them. Lastly, we can’t say enough about our amazing customers who support our mission to inspire millions of children to fall in love with cycling.