Teen Starts International Biking Initiative
A 17-year-old high schooler from Alpharetta, Georgia, is making bike riding more accessible through a nonprofit he founded called Pedal Forward. Jonathan Thai, a competitive triathlete, launched the organization after a local retailer discontinued its community biking program. Knowing that bicycles can provide not only recreation but also an affordable means of transportation, Thai began organizing free cycling clinics and equipment drives for underserved children. Since then, Pedal Forward has raised more than $30,000, donated 400 bicycles and 500 helmets, and taught more than 350 children how to ride safely. The program has also expanded beyond Georgia, establishing chapters in Tennessee and New York. Inspired by his family's Vietnamese heritage, Thai is now planning an international initiative to provide bicycles to children in rural Vietnam, where transportation can be a barrier to education. He was recently awarded the Daily Point of Light Award, demonstrating how one teenager's passion can create opportunities for hundreds of children and families.
Image via Pedal Forward
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