Community comes together to give bikes to Afghan refugees

BRYN MAWR, Pa. -- An entire community in Pennsylvania is working together to help newly resettled Afghan refugees feel at home and have the tools they need to succeed.

HIAS Pennsylvania, which works with refugees, realized the new neighbors in the greater Philadelphia area needed transportation.

Knowing many were familiar with bikes, volunteers went on a mission to find bikes to donate.

They turned to Lower Merion Township Police, who confiscate dozens of abandoned and stolen bikes every year.

Police donated bikes that have not been claimed to the volunteers, who then took them to M+M Two Wheelers, a bike shop, to be fixed up.

Over the past six years, HIAS has helped get about 100 bikes to refugees using community resources.

The recipients of the bikes say they are are a wonderful gift that is helping them settle into their new community!