BICAS taking advantage of youth

Tucson AZ

Description

Those with no income cannot access bicycle transportation by receiving assistance from BICAS. BICAS does not donate broken bicycles or bike parts to people living in poverty who would earn work trade credit at BICAS for shop time to be taught to repair the bicycle. Those with no income are asked to pay for the broken bicycle, used bike parts, shop time, and new parts that are not in inventory used with a combination of cash and work trade credit. BICAS has an annual cap for work trade of $200. The bicycles in disrepair that have been set aside for earning with work trade credit are priced anywhere between $50 and $350, with the less expensive bikes being unsuitable for commuting using a bike as the sole form of transportation, or, being so vintage that it is almost impossible to purchase the parts to replace within the donated used bike parts. BICAS staff have admitted to people who wanted to use their work trade program to earn a bike that it cannot be done without paying money as the used bike parts available for repairing broken bicycles are for the bikes priced over $200. As can be viewed online with a Google search for the document P-CHIP PEOPLE FY22 Funded Agencies, on page 6, BICAS received a grant for $50,000 from City of Tucson’s General Fund for their non-profit organization claiming it “gives low income people access to mobility... providing homeless people with pathways to housing, job security, and economic stability.” https://www.azgives.org/bicas The solicitation to donors states, “Your support ensures that those with little or no income can access safe transportation and free helmets,” and “We focus on serving those who traditionally have the least access to reliable transportation and mechanical skills, including youth, women, the homeless, refugees, and immigrants.”