A global pandemic. Canceled volunteer days. A bike shortage. A backed-up bike parts supply chain. Destructive fires and horrible air quality. And a serious concussion!
I certainly couldn’t have predicted any of these challenges a year ago when I joined SVBE, but I’m proud to say we’ve somehow survived all of these, and end 2020 with a lot to be thankful for.
I have 5,023 reasons to be thankful this year!
That’s how many hours our tireless group of dedicated volunteers logged so far in 2020. Without our large events, we certainly didn’t have the same workforce as we had in non-pandemic years, with 762 fewer volunteers, but our 2020 volunteers were superhuman, repairing 91% of the number of bikes we did in 2019, in just 46% of the hours. That’s impressive productivity and dedication, and I’m deeply grateful for all the hard work in keeping our mission going in 2020.
Our year, briefly, in numbers:
- 546 bikes donated
- 5,023 volunteer hours
- 318 volunteers
- 495 homework bikes
Thanks to our dedicated, loyal crew of volunteers, we got quite a bit done! Fifty volunteers repaired 495 bikes at home, with 11 of these tireless souls completing 10 or more bikes at home.

Equally impressive, 45 volunteers put in 20 or more hours this year, at home or at our small volunteer events. The members of these two groups deserve special recognition:
- Adam S.
- Andrew P.
- Bob M.
- Carol M.
- Chris J.
- Colleen D.
- Dave E.
- Dave F.
- Dave G.
- Dave Z.
- David G.
- David K.
- Doreen Y.
- Ethan C.
- Etienne G.
- Grant G.
- Günter S.
- Jack G.
- Jack M.
- John F.
- John G.
- John L.
- Johnnie T.
- Jonathan W.
- Judy C.
- Kent F.
- Lauren Z.
- Lucy H.
- Luke Z.
- Mark L.
- Mary K.
- Mary R.T.
- Mateo E.
- Michael K.
- Patrick T.
- Paul P.
- Paul S.
- Pete L.
- Rachael H.
- Rob K.
- Robert N.
- Roger C.S.
- Sam B
- Shree S.
- Sue L.
- Taghi S.
- Tom F.
We also have plenty of other 2020 successes to celebrate. We’ve opened a new retail space, moved into the current millennium with our paperless volunteer logging and sales receipts, received two grants (thank you Palo Alto Community Fund and Palo Alto Weekly!), taken in record bike and part donations, launched our first-ever silent auction, partnered with Green Town Los Altos, Stanford University, Gunn High School, Los Altos High School, Santa Clara County and the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and sold quite a few parts on eBay and bikes through our new e-commerce website.
This all happened during such a challenging time that felt like a 20% grade with a 40mph headwind. I can’t thank you all enough for your hand in getting SVBE up and over the 2020 mountain.
I can’t predict what the next year and COVID-19 pandemic has in store for us, but given our successes in the past year, I’m excited to climb even higher with you in 2021.
Happy holidays and stay safe,
-Andrew