“I often find myself dreaming of a better world, but I’m reminded of President Bartlet’s line from The West Wing: ‘Decisions are made by those who show up.’ Advocacy matters to me because if we don’t show up, the world we dream of will never come to pass.” – Ben Singleton

Many advocates have worked for MANY years to get a safe biking connection through the Strip District. There’s more work to be done, but the recent completion of the Penn Ave Rightsizing project brought a major improvement for people biking and walking in one of Pittsburgh’s favorite neighborhoods. Ben has been working diligently in the community for nearly two years to show that his Strip District neighbors and bicyclists & walkers across Pittsburgh support Safe Trips in The Strip. He organized his neighbors to form a new bike/ped advocacy group, Strip Safe Streets, that gathered hundreds of petitions in support of the project, educated local businesses about the benefits of the project, got supportive locals to speak with the media, mobilized neighbors to public meetings, and so much more.

Getting this project across the finish line certainly took many hands and a lot of people deserve thanks, but Ben stands out as a true champion for safe streets.

Providing summer and afterschool programs and vital resources to the Homewood community since 2022, The Promise Center of Homewood has shown what is possible when we put the safety and mobility of kids in our neighborhoods first.

When 9-year-old Courtney Carter was tragically killed while riding her bike near the Center, founder Nate Goodson and his team sprang into action forming the “Courtney’s Promise” initiative to advocate for bike education and traffic safety. In the short time since we first partnered, The Promise Center of Homewood has implemented bike education with a fleet of new bikes and helmets used on their own educational traffic garden, and advocated for and received traffic-calming and safety measures around the center on Hamilton Ave.

Multifaceted educator Jen Hayes brings warmth, passion, creativity and boundless energy to every project she’s worked on from getting more folks on wheels at Adaptive POGOH, to greeting new riders at Learn 2 Ride, and galvanizing Pittsburgh Montessori School’s families to walk and roll to school @montessoriwalkandroll. She’s even lent her star power to our new Bike Bus How to Video, so move over Justin Timberlake because Jen Hayes is our Educator of the Year!

We chose Nancy to win this award because of her helpful attitude, radiant energy, and the countless hours of dedication she has put into helping our organization.

“I feel volunteering in Pittsburgh, gives me the opportunity to help our city become the best it can be. It allows me to get a better insight into all aspects of Pittsburgh and its most essential needs.” – Nancy Como

BikePGH is endlessly grateful for the dedicated support of our incredible volunteers, who make each event better and brighter year after year. Our events wouldn’t be what they are without their hard work and enthusiasm. Want to volunteer? Contact us: volunteer@bikepgh.org

Give Up Trash Bag Cycling Club is redefining what a community cycling group can be in Pittsburgh. Give Up is an inclusive, high-energy collective that welcomes riders of every background, pace, and experience level. Their rides prioritize joy, safety, and showing up for one another — values that have built genuine community both on and off the bike. Give Up is a major contributor to a culture where everyone feels like they belong on two wheels. In a city with a thriving but varied cycling scene, GIVE Up stands out for their creativity, sense of humor, and commitment to making cycling fun and welcoming for all.