BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A local veteran's efforts to help people in need of transportation find their way around Western New York communities is rolling closer to reality.
So, you might want to think twice before getting rid of any old bikes laying around. The nonprofit organization Wheels for Workers said they're all about making beauty from ashes.
"Everybody has this common bond that I want to do something with purpose," Wheels for Workers Executive Director, John "Blue" Hannon said. "I can go fix one bike today and help another human."
Hannon said the group takes in used bikes, refurbishes them, and delivers them to foster children, people in need of transportation, and refugees.
"These people need a reliable bike to get to work and back every day," Hannon said. "In many of their jobs, which are entry-level jobs, if they don't show up for a job, they don't have a job. So, it's as serious as feeding their families."
Every donation helps make that possible.
"You look at these baskets and say who in America would want a basket," Hannon said. "The person who goes to the grocery store to get their family, these are very very hot. People like to get a bike with a basket because they can carry food."
Hannon said he couldn't do it alone. Over 30 close-knit volunteers give their time to Wheels for Workers.
"So this is Anthony Chungbin," Hannon said. "Anthony we call our head mechanic. Back when he was a working guy he was a physicist. "So, he understands everything about bikes great."
"In Chicago, I used to tinker with all my bikes when I was 10 and now I'm almost 60 so I've been doing it a long time," Head Mechanic for Wheels for Workers Anthony Chungbin said. "So I readjusted their breaks, replaced the rear derailleur, and readjusted everything and it's good to go."
Hannon said with the help of volunteers and the community, their mission has been blossoming.
"We just received a 14 by 32-foot workshop," Hannon said. "We call it the Wheel House because we're Wheels for Workers."
Even some of you at home have already gotten in on the action.
"Somebody who saw your piece last Wednesday showed up yesterday and I said 'How'd you know about us?'", Hannon said. "They said 'Oh I saw it on TV.' So, you have contributed directly."
So, whether you drop off a bike to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, lend a hand in the new Wheel House Workshop, or tell a friend about what Wheels for Workers is all about, these volunteers believe that every act of kindness makes these wheels and the world go around.
