But to kids from poor urban neighborhoods, it is a luxury few can afford. Jason Upshaw didn't think that was fair. It's the way you get around your community. The way you get around your neighborhood. Mass. To help get kids their wheels, Second Gear offers more than just another retail outlet.
Kids come to the shop to take courses on how to fix and repair broken bikes.
Kids who ace the program ride away with a free bike of their own. While that kind of incentive may sound like the work of charity rather than an enterprising business, Upshaw has a unique way of using capitalism to solve community problems. I saw that there were many ways to get in trouble. Investing myself in my community was the best way I knew how to make a difference. 4Tech, started two years ago, teaches teens the basics of popular software programs and troubleshooting over a six-week period.