Bikes from the Heart, Sacred Heart Catholic Church’s outreach devoted to refurbishing and redistributing bicycles to those in need has reached yet another milestone, one that will be the benchmark for their ministry as it continues to develop in the coming years. Volunteers from the ministry joined members of Gracepoint Homeless Services to deliver the 1000th refurbished bicycle to Aileen Jones, a member of Gracepoint’s wellness team, on Wednesday, September 4.
Bikes from the Heart is a volunteer program founded by Sacred Heart parishioners Tim Eves and Tom Henry that operates out of the former convent on the church’s “North Campus” property, formerly Sacred Heart Academy (3515 N Florida Avenue). Used bicycles and parts are donated to Bikes from the Heart by individuals, parishioners of Sacred Heart and other area churches, apartment and condominium complexes, and partners like WellBuilt Bikes or local law enforcement. Those bikes are then refurbished into working order to be given to recipients across Tampa Bay that are struggling with access to reliable transportation. Ministry volunteers came to know Aileen and her story through their partnership with Gracepoint.
“It was about a year ago, we met some folks from Gracepoint when they needed help with some renovations, and so our ministry came and helped,” recalled Henry. “We helped them install some tile and build a small lounge for their clients, and that’s where it started.” For nearly 75 years, Gracepoint has worked with individuals (children and adults) seeking mental health, addiction, and medical services. Gracepoint also serves as the behavioral health emergency room for Hillsborough County. Bikes from the Heart has donated 18 bikes to Gracepoint clients to date.
Aileen, a behavioral health specialist at Gracepoint’s Homeless Services location in Seminole Heights (6220 N Nebraska Ave), says the bicycle will work wonders for her mobility. “Right now, I live two miles away from work, and so having the bike will take away some of the stress of my day, knowing I can get to work that much more easily.” Jones stated that post-traumatic stress from being involved in automotive accidents as an adolescent is in part the reason for her challenge with transportation. Aileen is set to complete her Registered Behavior Technician certification before the end of the year and hopes to work with children in the future.
“When we gave out the 500th bike, we said our next goal was 1000,” said Henry. “Now our goal is to make 1000 a sustainable annual goal, and help other parishes, churches, and organizations potentially do the same for their communities.” Founders Tim Eves and Tom Henry began work on the project in May of 2023. The growth of the ministry has been meteoric, from the swell of volunteers who believed in the mission of the ministry, to receiving grants from the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of St. Petersburg and earning civic recognitions like the 2024 Urban Excellence Award for best Downtown collaboration.
The ministry regularly works with Catholic Charities’ homeless shelter, Tampa Hope; Love INC of Metro Tampa, an ecumenical collective of intercity churches addressing community needs; Metropolitan Ministries; Hyde Park United Methodist Church, The Portico, the Agency for Community Treatment Services, and the Tampa Downtown Partnership on distribution of the restored bikes. Some bicycles are also given to recipients through direct request or referral.
To learn more about the ministry, volunteer, or donate, visit shfla.org/bikes.
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Sacred Heart Catholic Church offers special thanks for the Community Impact Grant program from the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of St. Petersburg for their support of the Bikes from the Heart.
