POCATELLO — A local nonprofit is aiming to lower recidivism, raise employment numbers and assist individuals in recovery by providing free bicycles.

Bicycles for Recovery believes that reliable transportation in the form of bikes is crucial for those trying to regain their footing in life.

Working with area treatment facilities like Center of Hope South and The Friendship Club, peer-to-peer recovery programs that assist with substance abuse and mental health challenges, Bicycles for Recovery hopes its bikes will lift up local people who are struggling.

Bicycles for Recovery Director Richard Roberts started the organization which has blossomed into a support network for people in treatment, new parolees and folks who simply need a helping hand or a second chance.

“Our goal is to lower the recidivism rate by getting people reliable transportation so they can get to jobs and interviews and stuff like that,” Roberts said. “But it’s also going to raise the employment rate. That’s kind of what our goal is, to get to anybody that is trying to better themselves in some sort of way, whether it’s physical or mental, (and help them) for the betterment of the community.”

Roberts initially only received bicycles directly through donations from the community but this year he was able to contract with the City of Pocatello and the Pocatello Police Department which provided over 50 bicycles for his nonprofit. Roberts worked closely with Pocatello police Capt. Chad Higbee to obtain the bicycles, most of which were confiscated by police after being found abandoned.

“They generally come with flat tires, bad cables, brakes or gears,” Roberts said about the bicycles his group obtains. “They have a lot of issues when we get them. I’m the technician of the program and I do all the bike repairs. I get the bikes into a good running order, so that all the brakes and gears work and they’re safe to ride.”

Once the repairs are completed Roberts takes the bicycles to his shop in the basement at 428 W. Lewis St. for distribution.

Denis Clijsters, who owns Station Square in downtown Pocatello, provides Bicycles for Recovery with the shop space.

“He’s been very helpful with a lot of people in the community that are doing nonprofits,” Roberts said about Clijsters. “I really appreciate him just for being a really decent human being and a really resourceful person in the community.”

To get the word out to the public about his group’s free bicycles, Roberts utilizes advertisements along with a Facebook group. Roberts also works closely with recovery coaches and peer support groups to find people who need bicycles.

Mental health organizations will often reach out to Roberts with clients who are experiencing difficult times and desperately need access to transportation. Through those avenues and others like word-of-mouth, treatment facilities and probation courts, Roberts can distribute his group’s bicycles to those who truly need them in the community.

The bicycles from Roberts’ group provide the transportation necessary for people in recovery to get to counseling sessions and other important meetings and appointments.

Roberts’ own connection to recovery deepens his understanding of these issues and further exemplifies his reasoning for starting Bicycles for Recovery.

“I’m also in recovery and I also had a rough time,” Roberts said. “I spent a lot of years not functioning as a healthy individual. When I got into my own recovery, I really wanted to do something to give back to the community. If you’re suffering from homelessness, mental health issues, weight issues, legal issues, any circumstances that you’re recovering from including having a rebound problem, we’re trying to be there to help out.”

Roberts continued, “We’re also reaching out to the youth in the community come springtime to do some events. I can’t speak on those yet because we’re working on the legal part of it, but we’re going to be starting to work with juvenile probation, The Village, Bannock House, Bannock Youth Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club. We have a lot of stuff planned for this summer.”

While Roberts’ nonprofit has received some support from the community, it is still a new organization and appreciates as well as needs monetary donations.

“We are really reaching out for funding right now because we have a very limited income and I’ve been doing this all out of pocket for the past nine months,” Roberts said. “We just got our 501©(3), so we’re looking for grants. But currently, we could use whatever donations we can get from the community.”

Donations to Bicycles for Recovery can be made via Venmo at account.venmo.com/u/bicyclesforrecovery or by contacting Robert’s directly at 208-909-6589.