Over 10,000 Bikes Donated . . . and Counting
San Jose’s Good Karma Bikes is way more than your average bike shop. From modest beginnings of a few volunteers fixing up old bikes for homeless people in Saint James Park, Good Karma has grown into mighty force for empowering the less fortunate in our community and changing lives.
Foremost, Good Karma Bikes (GKB) is a full-service, second-hand bike shop located in downtown San Jose and open to the public. They sell both new and refurbished bikes at lower cost than most retailers and offer quality repair services, parts, and accessories. Good Karma receives thousands of bikes each year through donations and impound. Many are sold in their bike shop, but even more are refurbished by volunteers and given for free to those in-need in the local community. The income from bike and service sales helps support Good Karma’s community work. Other funding comes via grants and donations.
GKB’s community clients are primarily the homeless, people in recovery, veterans, low-wage workers, and low-income families. Having reliable transportation to search for and get to work and school can be a vital link in helping to lift these folks out of poverty.
Good Karma is staffed by scores of volunteers who work in the store and behind the scenes repairing bikes and offering free clinics. Volunteers have logged a total of 140,000 hours in service. Additionally, GKB’s Park Tool School is a hands-on maintenance and repair course taught by experienced mechanics where students learn everything about how bikes work – from flat tire repair to full overhaul. Graduates are qualified to apply for jobs in the field – a life-changing event for many. GKG also offers on-site bicycle repair to corporations throughout Santa Clara County via their Mobile Repair service van.
Access to transportation is the single biggest factor helping people avoid homelessness, hold a job, and keep service appointments. To date, Good Karma has served nearly 48,000 clients, given away 10,310 bikes, provided over $3.6M in community aid in the form of free bikes, parts, training, other services.
Farrington has been a long-time supporter of Good Karma Bikes through our community and director grants. Our most recent grant provided funding to refurbish 400 bikes for low-income local school children. Not only did the bikes provide reliable transportation to and from school, but biking also helps promote childrens’ physical and mental well-being through increased exercise, recreation opportunities and mobility.
