By Alan Schultz
Spring 2022 Newsletter

In our fall 2021 newsletter Dave Schweidenback, founder and president of Pedals for Progress, graciously introduced me as his successor and outlined the steps the organization will be making upon his retirement. I would like to personally introduce myself.

I grew up in High Bridge, New Jersey, just a few houses down from Dave. If you don’t know High Bridge, it’s a small factory town in the heart of our very rural Hunterdon County. I grew up riding my bike with my friends up and down every street, alleyway, and trail of the two-square-mile borough, enjoying the safety, comfort, and tranquility of my hometown.

My very first job was working as a loader for Pedals for Progress. I would listen to Dave tell hundreds of stories about the countries where we were sending bikes and the way they transform people’s lives. My worldview began to expand as I started to hear about countries I’ve never heard of, unrealized challenges people face, and all the change that can come from a bicycle.

I continued to work for Dave and Pedals for Progress off and on, working other jobs through high school and college, none resonating with me nearly as much as Pedals for Progress. I graduated from Montclair State University with my master’s degree and started looking for work while working as a warehouse manager at Pedals. Dave gave me a call one day to tell me about his planned retirement and to ask if I was interested in continuing our cause. A small side job suddenly became a career.

I am honored to be able to work with an amazing organization that continues to expand my mind and the way I look at the world — a world that now seems more interesting and nuanced than it did before my work with Pedals. I am humbled by the generosity I have seen in our partners, sponsors, and donors in their commitment to helping those that need help around the world.

Pedals for Progress is simultaneously a small-town organization and an international shipping company. We are facing the challenges of the times with grace and stability. Despite increased costs that are hitting businesses world-wide, the state of our organization is strong. We are excited to begin partnering with more collection groups now that people are starting to feel more comfortable attending public events. My journey with Pedals for Progress is merely beginning and I am incredibly excited to take on the development of our organization and to continue our mission of sending used bicycles and sewing machines to motivated individuals in the developing world. I would like to invite you to accompany me on this journey. Thank you for your support.