Bob the Bike Guy sees importance in helping homeless through pandemic

Date: 5/12/2020

GREATER SPRINGFIELD – Bob Charland is well-known in the area for his charitable work. Better known as “Bob the Bike Guy,” because of his non-profit, Pedal Thru Youth, the Hampden Sheriff’s Department deputy has devoted his time to donating bikes to less fortunate children and necessities to the homeless. But time is the one thing he doesn’t have on his side. Charland has a terminal brain condition, similar to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Charland said helping others has given him a purpose and “a reason to get up in the morning.” Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, he has found another way to fulfill that purpose.

Charland has been putting together backpacks of necessities for the homeless population in various communities for the past year and a half. Now, in addition to the hat, gloves, scarf, granola bars, protein shakes, tooth care kits and hygiene products, he includes essentials to protect against the virus.

“[The homeless] don’t have access to masks, don’t have access to gloves, don’t have access to sanitizer,” Charland said. “Somebody has to look out for these people.”

To distribute the backpacks, Charland uses his network in law enforcement to partner with police departments around the county. Last year, Charland said, he gave 900 backpacks to various police departments to distribute to the homeless in their communities. He said that he doesn't know the size of the populations that need his help, so he donates a minimum of 10 bags to each department, with the understanding they can reach out for more.

Charland has worked with 13 different police departments around the area including those in Chicopee, Holyoke and West Springfield. He said he prefers officers hand the bags out, rather than doing the distribution himself.

“People have such a bad image of law enforcement,” Charland said. “I would rather officers hand them out so people can see the better side of law enforcement. There's some good officers out there that really want to make a difference.”

Also enlisted to help in Charland’s mission are nine people in the community, that he supplies with fabric and elastic, who donate their time to sew the masks that go into the backpacks.

Most of the supplies that Charland includes in the backpacks are donated from companies and individuals who want to help. After his campaign appeared in People magazine, in early April, Charland said luggage company Samsonite reached out and donated 100 backpacks, 150 totes, plus fabric and elastic for making masks.

At the end of the day, Charland hopes people take away more than a backpack from his work.

“I want more people to be selfless,” Charland said. He said most people have heard of or experienced people profiting off the pandemic, mainly through price gouging. “This isn't the time for that,” Charland said. “We need to be helping people.”