Florida Shop Owner Robbie Jacobs Named Orange County Citizen of the Month

Robbie Jacobs built his reputation in Orange County one bicycle at a time. The owner of Back in the Game Sports at 16 S. Main Street in the Village of Florida has been named Orange County's Citizen of the Month for March 2026, an honor announced by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus in recognition of what the county called Jacobs' "extraordinary generosity and dedication to the community."

The designation caps a stretch of public recognition for Jacobs. In a separate municipal ceremony held December 18 at his shop on S. Main Street, Florida Mayor Daniel Harter Jr. and Warwick Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer joined elected officials, community members, and friends to present Jacobs with a key to the village and a formal proclamation. The Village of Florida said it was "proud to have such an amazing addition to our Village" and declared that Jacobs had brought "distinction, honor, and glory to the community of Florida" through his actions.

The story behind the honors traces back to an early moment at the shop, not long after Jacobs opened Back in the Game Sports in 2020. He noticed a soldier and his wife debating the cost of a bicycle for their child and decided to give it away. "Everyone was crying, and the rush of that feeling told me that that was the way that life was really supposed to be," Jacobs said. The giveaways never stopped. According to ABC7, he has since given away 12,000 bikes, distributing nearly 20 bicycles every day, with roughly 20 percent of that inventory arriving through donations that Jacobs repairs and refurbishes before posting their availability on Facebook and local community pages. Some bikes have been donated to children in the Dominican Republic. In winter, he adds boots to the giveaway rotation.

Jacobs funded this trajectory by walking away from a career selling copy machines, a decision he says made him "happier and healthier." His motivations are straightforward. "The kindness is worth more to me than the profit," he said. "I'm not trying to increase business; I'm not trying to have a string of these stores. There is nothing that I can get out of any of this except maybe passing some kindness along."

Beyond the bike giveaways, the village proclamation noted that Jacobs donates sports equipment and clothing and sponsors local sports teams. His consignment model addresses a practical problem for local families: a complete set of sports gear runs $120, and parents can return it for $60 once their child has outgrown it, cycling the equipment to the next family. "My goal is to help as many people as possible so that every child can try whichever sport they want, even if their parents cannot afford it," Jacobs said.

Area resident Harry Van Dyke put it simply: "To have someone who's knowledgeable and giving back to the community and helping people out, it's an amazing thing." Jonathan Torres, who picked up bikes from the shop, noted the quality of what Jacobs provides: "These are good bikes, you can see they are in solid condition, and we'll put them to good use."

Neuhaus called the recognition well earned. "Orange County is fortunate to have a resident and business owner like Robbie, whose kindness strengthens our community," he said. "His dedication has made a meaningful impact, and this recognition celebrates his generous spirit and wonderful example of going above and beyond to make a difference."

Refurbished bikes available for pickup can often be found outside the shop during regular business hours. Back in the Game Sports can be reached at 845-508-6800 or at backinthegamesportsinc.com.