WICHITA (KSNT) -- Vroom, vroom -- the excitement begins! Two Kansas organizations have teamed up to provide comfort and fun for kids going through tough times.
A group called Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) reached out to Goodwill Industries a month ago with a search for jean jackets. After learning about the group's mission, Goodwill went on its own mission to locate jean jackets in all of its 18 Kansas stores.
"We have the sole intent for the empowerment of children, children that have been abused -- we are contacted, we go introduce ourselves to that child," said Pipes, with BACA's Kansas Chapter. "And we ask that child if they would like to be in our family, we then go out there as a family and everybody meets that child," he added.
The jeans vests will have a child's road name on them and a patch on the back. BACA said it is a tool of empowerment.
"We show up, everybody on motorcycles at that time we give them a cut with their own name on it which has been donated today and a patch on the back," Pipes said.
"We were contacted a few weeks ago from a biker organization who combats against and supports victims of child abuse and so they asked us to accumulate and see what we can find for jean jackets," said Laura Ritterbush, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kansas. "So our district manager went after that task and we contacted our stores and we were able to achieve over 100 jean jackets in a four week period,"
Referring to Goodwill, Piper said, "You know they brought over 100 vests, that's over 100 smiles on 100 kids' faces right there."
"We're excited to know that children who need some extra support and comfort will receive those from these wonderful bikers who have a heart of gold," Ritterbush said.
To learn more about BACA, click here. For more information on Goodwill Industries of Kansas, click here.
