Thrive Mahoning Valley

Thrive Mahoning Valley Our vision is for the Mahoning Valley to be recognized as a community that is welcoming to all.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please follow this link to PayPal: paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/3537941

08/31/2026

Welcome to Penguin City!

We had a chance to catch up with Aspasia Bernacki, owner of Penguin City, on what means to her and the team behind it all.

We welcome everyone to join us for the second annual Welcomer of the Year Awards at Penguin City on Tues. Sept. 15 from 5:30-8:30 pm.

Full schedule:
Sept. 9 Civic Forum - Stambaugh Auditorium
Sept. 10 Farmers Market - Main Library
Sept. 12 HOLA Fest - Wean Park
Sept. 13 Warren Bike Ride - Urban Tap
Sept. 15 Welcomer of the Year Awards - Penguin City
Sept. 19 Oktoberfest - Penguin City

This is it. The Rocket Community Challenge closes TODAY at 4:59 PM ET.Where we stand in 2026:96 bikes placed so far this...
08/28/2026

This is it. The Rocket Community Challenge closes TODAY at 4:59 PM ET.

Where we stand in 2026:
96 bikes placed so far this year
140 is our goal before the end of the year
44 bikes to go

We've distributed more bikes in the first seven months of 2026 than in all of 2024 — and the applications keep coming in. Demand isn't slowing down. Our capacity is the only limit.

Every dollar raised before 5 PM counts toward our total, keeps us in the running for grand prizes up to $22,000, and enters us in today's final Golden Ticket drawings with any gift of $5 or more.

Are you a Rocket team member? Your donation counts double for us today — the orgs with the most unique Rocket team member donors this week win an extra $2,800.

250 bikes. 800 people. 25 ZIP codes. One deadline.

Let's finish this.

Donate before 5 PM ET: www.rocketcommunitychallenge.com/organization/thrivemv

25 ZIP codes. That's how far Pedal Forward has reached — from Youngstown's North, South, East and West Sides to Campbell...
08/27/2026

25 ZIP codes. That's how far Pedal Forward has reached — from Youngstown's North, South, East and West Sides to Campbell, Warren, Niles, Girard, Hubbard and beyond.

But here's the number that keeps us up at night: 331 people have applied. 250 got a bike.

Some of the people we couldn't reach were already approved. They just moved, or lost their phone, no longer needed the bike, or just had life happen.

Every bike we can fund is one more name we get to cross off that list.

Two ways to help before the Rocket Community Challenge closes Friday at 5 PM ET:
→ Donate $5+ to the Rocket Community Challenge — every gift enters us in daily Golden Ticket drawings
→ Shop our Amazon wishlist for the tools, tubes, helmets and locks that keep every bike rolling



Same mission. Pick whichever one fits your budget.

08/26/2026

Places like Cruise The Creek Adventures help make the Mahoning Valley feel more welcoming—bringing neighbors together to connect, explore, and celebrate community.

Hear a few rapid-fire thoughts in this clip, then watch the full interview for more! And join Thrive Mahoning Valley during Welcoming Week for events that help everyone feel at home.

08/26/2026

Cruise The Creek Adventures celebrates the idea that everyone belongs in the community. 🚲⚡

Through guided e-bike rides, they give people a welcoming way to learn how to ride safely, gain confidence on two wheels, and explore the places, neighborhoods, and local gems that make the community home.

Cruise the Creek helps create safer streets, new connections, and more opportunities for everyone to take part. 💛

Join us for Welcoming Week festivities from Sept. 9-19
Sept. 9 Civic Forum
Sept. 10 Farmers Market
Sept. 12 HOLA Fest
Sept. 13 Warren Bike Ride
Sept. 15 Welcomer of the Year Awards
Sept. 19 Oktoberfest

People often ask us who receives a Pedal Forward bike. Here's the honest answer, straight from our own intake data:96% d...
08/26/2026

People often ask us who receives a Pedal Forward bike. Here's the honest answer, straight from our own intake data:

96% don't own a car
68% were walking to work, school, and appointments
60% were depending on the bus
85% of those who reported income live on less than $10,000 a year
61% of recipients we screened were unemployed, unhoused, or both

These aren't people looking for a hobby. These are neighbors for whom a two-mile trip currently costs an hour and a half — each way.

A bike changes the math. Immediately.

The Rocket Community Challenge ends Friday at 5 PM ET. Give $5+ and you enter us in daily bonus drawings. Give today and you help us reach the next person on the list.

Donate before Aug. 28:
www. rocketcommunitychallenge.com/organization/thrivemv

08/26/2026

Two weeks from our first Welcoming Week event….

We would like to acknowledge and thank our community level sponsor City of YOUngstown for their dedication to the work of welcoming all!

08/25/2026

Stop by the Downtown Youngstown Farmers Market then go play some games!

08/25/2026

Belonging begins with YOU. This upcoming Welcoming Week, we’re celebrating the connections and spirit that define the Mahoning Valley. From our civic forum to our second annual Welcomer of the Year awards, there’s a place for every neighbor to get involved.

We are so grateful for places like Westside Bowl that make it easy to feel a sense of belonging when you visit! These are the types of places that lift our community up and strengthen our social cohesion - a key component to creating a thriving community.

Invite a friend—especially someone new to the Valley—and let’s celebrate together!

250 bikes.Since we started our bike program in late 2022/spring 2023, Pedal Forward has put more than 250 bicycles into ...
08/25/2026

250 bikes.

Since we started our bike program in late 2022/spring 2023, Pedal Forward has put more than 250 bicycles into the hands of Mahoning Valley neighbors who had no reliable way to get around.

Because a bike doesn't just move one person, those 250+ bikes reach an estimated 800 household members — college students getting to school, parents getting to work, groceries actually making it home.

That's what your donation builds. Not a program stat. A ride that shows up every single day.

We're in the final days of the Rocket Community Challenge. Every gift of $5 or more enters us into daily Golden Ticket drawings — so even the smallest donation can turn into hundreds more for the program.

250 bikes down. Help us keep going!

Donate: www.rocketcommunitychallenge.com/organization/thrivemv

Address

3129 Belmont Ave
Youngstown, OH
44505

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

3307872467

Website

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