About BICAS
Located in the heart of downtown Tucson, BICAS (Bicycle Inter-Community Action & Salvage) is a 501(c) 3 collectively run community education and recycling center for bicycles that welcomes people of all ages and walks of life.
Through advocacy and recycling of the bicycle, the BICAS mission is to promote education, art, and a healthy environment while providing service and opportunity for those in need.
History
BICAS first started in 1990 as an organization called Bootstraps to Share of Tucson, Inc. A group of like-minded community members came together to assist and empower the homeless population in Tucson by helping them attain work, shelter, food, and transportation. Before long, the organization determined that the greatest impact that they could have on the homeless community was to provide recycled bicycles and the skills needed to maintain them, figuring sustainable transportation leads to sustainable work. Thus, BICAS came into existence in 1994 and we have since extended our bicycle recycling, advocacy and education programs out to the entire community. Since our founding, we have trained thousands of youth and adults in the trade of bicycle repair, maintenance and safety, and restored thousands of bicycles, saving them from the waste stream.
Kim Young, Allen Reilly and Mark Gifford are often and rightfully referred to as the founders of BICAS. We are grateful for their hard work to establish the foundation and present location for what BICAS has become today.