Countdown to Giveaway Day
until the 2026 Christmas Giveaway
How We Pull This Off Every Year
After Thanksgiving, a donation center opens at the New York State Fair's Center of Progress Building. For approximately 30 days, our volunteers receive donated bikes daily — assessing, sorting, and beginning repairs.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from June through December, our shop at 817 Erie Blvd West operates as a full bicycle repair operation. Volunteers change tubes, replace tires, adjust cables, and clean frames — transforming donated wrecks into Christmas gifts.
On the Friday before Christmas, the Syracuse Department of Public Works provides large trucks to transport thousands of repaired bikes to Fowler High School. Four hours later, the gym is ready.
On Saturday morning, lines begin forming at 5:00 AM. Giveaway begins at 10:00 AM. By noon, thousands of bikes have found new homes.
We Need Your Hands
None of this is possible without volunteers. Whether you can repair a flat tire or you've never touched a bike in your life, there's a role for you.