Meet Brad Appel of Wish for Wheels in Mobile

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad Appel.

Brad, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Wish for Wheels started to fill a need for Elementary Schools kids to be active, encourage exercise, engage in wellness and build community. As a nonprofit, we are focused on 2nd graders and giving new bikes and helmets in low-income Elementary Schools. Wish for Wheels developed a partnership approach to giving in lieu of donors and grants.

Companies Fund, Build and Give our bikes to kids in their communities. This double touchpoint brings teams together, bridges communication and offers social responsibility to the companies. Once all the bikes are built, the employees meet and fit each helmet/bike for each kid. Wish for Wheels evaluates with Denver Public Schools test scores, attendance, playground usage, behavior to see how this new helmet/bike can shift in a positive way the trajectory for each kid. As we continue to grow we are always excited to see the positive effects on both the companies who support us and the kids Wish for Wheels impacts.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Wish for Wheels struggles are similar to any nonprofit or social mission company. We operate in the mindset of a for-profit company with a social mission. Awareness of the opportunity for companies/organizations to get involved directly with their community is a big challenge. Promotion of our business is a challenge as a small team. Now that we have grown into an evaluation and an after school program we are struggling with donor/grant funding for these programs as well. Again, we see this as an awareness issue.

Other ways we are/have struggled are similar to any growing company; growth, hiring and finances. We are continuing to add more opportunities and sometimes we have grown with the wrong employees or positions. Company structure and how to grow in what areas continues to be an evolving process. Sometimes fun, sometimes stressful. Always with the goal of giving more bikes to kids!

We’d love to hear more about your organization.
Wish for Wheels is a non-profit that Gives new bikes and helmets to 2nd graders in Title I (low income) schools. We partner with companies who Fund, Build and Give our bikes for a unique team build, employee engagement, client event or even building with the kids. Once the bikes are assembled the employees and clients come to the school and fit each bike and helmet for each kid. Wish for Wheels works with the school districts and looks at test scores, attendance, playground usage, behavior and other ways to measure the positive impact of a brand new bike and helmet.

Wish for Wheels also has a Kid2Kid program where 5th graders or older kids in a Giving School adopt a Title I school in their district and meet the 2nd graders for lunch and other activities. The Giving School raises funds to pay and Build the bikes and then their new friends all get new bikes and helmets.

Wish for Wheels also runs an adult cycling club of 250+ riders. We ride road/mtn year-round with weekly rides during biking season. Large groups of riders also do rides such as Ride the Rockies, Triple Bypass, Copper Triangle and more. This community is a social, fun and great way to ride your bike and meet other people while promoting Wish for Wheels.

We are the only nonprofit that Gives new bikes and helmets in this way and are so proud of our community of partners who help Give more than 6,000 kids new bikes every year!

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I personally define success by setting a goal and achieving the goal. With Wish for Wheels, we set where we want to be and strive to get there at each gate along the timeline. Our main mission is to Give as many bikes as we can to 2nd graders and then roll out an evaluation once we have the foundation of the Build/Give program.

Success to me is not measured by money, status or other areas I consider momentarily. Success is a lasting state where goals are achieved along the way. This does sometimes mean failure which is a learning point to get to success. Failure still hurts but I use it to move forward.

Pricing:

• Wish for Wheels Partner program runs $120/bike and starts at 25 bikes. Our program is tax-deductible.

Contact Info:

• Address: 4600 S. Ulster St.
  Suite 1050
  Denver, CO 80237
• Website: www.wishforwheels.org
• Phone: 720.295.1515
• Email: brad@wishforwheels.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wishforwheels/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WishForWheels/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/WishforWheels

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