…for they will take your old bike, and make it new again, both in function and in purpose!

As Bikes from the Heart approaches its third anniversary as a ministry of our parish in 2026, you can no longer consider this outreach as fledgling. They are flying. Gone are the days at the North Campus Convent when founders Tim Eves and Tom Henry would toil away on just a bike or two at a time. Support from parishioners and an active volunteer network of more than 25 quickly amassed, so it’s honestly hard to say there ever were times when it was only just a bike or two. To date, the ministry states they have refurbished over 2,500 bikes, including more than 1.100 in 2025 alone.

For those who may not know, BFTH collects used bikes, refurbishes them to working order, and distributes them to the transportation disadvantaged across our area, which can be anyone from the unhoused and homeless, to those who cannot drive and need a connection to work or local services, and even students who need a reliable way to get to school. The ministry retrofitted the first floor of the convent on the property formerly known as Sacred Heart Academy into a full scale bike shop, with storage for donated bikes, multiple repair stations, and rooms for parts and completed rebuilds.

“Community makes everything possible,” said Eves, when thinking back to what the ministry was able to achieve over the last year. That statement is indicative of both the collaborative nature of their ministry,which relies on volunteers, as well as partnerships with public agencies for disused and forgotten bikes, and and local businesses for necessary parts, and also the way in which it was conceived. Both Eves and Henry collaborated to create the ministry through the knowledge they gained from volunteering with other outreach ministries. For Tim, an avid cyclist, he cites his time volunteering with the bike ministry at nearby Hyde Park United Methodist as part of the inspiration. For Tom, he has worked with several ministries catering to those in need, especially Tampa Hope. Pair those two experiences, and…BOOM…you’ve got Bikes from the Heart!

“When Tom and I had the idea to start Bikes from the Heart, we were both freshly retired and looking for something to do,” Tim stated. “We started this thinking we were just going to repair a few bikes a month and give them away. But our ministry has grown way beyond our expectations – we are blessed with active volunteers. I have come to realize that we are not just fixing bikes – but that every aspect of what we do is a ministry.” Both Eves and Henry often refer to the bike ministry as “one knot in a very large net,” referring to their mission as being a small aspect of the larger network of ministries, both internal and external to our parish, that help address the potential gaps in the lives of the poor or homeless. The ministry, though, has taken on life of its own, opening pathways for donors, volunteers, beneficiaries, and recipients alike.

Volunteers regularly welcome in those who have recently received a bike from the ministry to come and volunteer in the shop, if nothing more than to learn how to properly maintain their new ride. More often than not, the recipients wish to pay forward the kindness afforded to them by helping with builds for future giveaways. In 2025, BFTH developed a program to welcome local businesses as volunteers at the shop, with several notable organizations, from the parish’s next door neighbors at Le Méridien, to members of the Tampa Bay Rays front office and facilities staffs, for team-building events or to fulfill employee volunteering requirements. To keep things simple, they have those groups work on stripping bikes not suitable for repair for their functioning parts.

That is not to say you are limited to that experience as a volunteer. Volunteers are always happy to teach anyone who wishes to get their hands greasy every aspect of maintenance and repair, and no prior experience is necessary to participate. The ministry is currently developing a program alongside several local bike shops to instruct volunteer technicians enough that they might be able to seek employment at one of the partnering shops once fully trained.

Volunteers don’t limit their work to the convent-turned-bike shop, either. Each Sunday, a crew gathers at the Portico to distribute bikes to those who have applied in recent weeks, and to assist with repairs for anyone who needs some help. During Advent and Christmas, the ministry supported On-Bikes’ annual Santa’s Workshop event, sending 19 volunteers to help build bikes given away as presents to children. They even were able to deliver some of their own stock, 51 in total, to three different charity initiatives in both Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties providing children gifts for the holidays.

At each Mass this weekend (3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 25, 2026), you will hear from Tim and Tom directly about the impact this ministry has had as a “knot in the net, and how important support from parishioners and visitors alike has been to their success. Below is a summary of their 2025 successes:

• Annual Christmas Sale resulted in 30 bikes sold, raising funds for future builds
• Gave away 51 children’s bikes at Christmas to the following:
  • Hillsborough County Commissioner Myers’ Annual Event – 24 bikes
  • Movement of God Church – Pinellas Park – 12 bikes
  • It’s Better to Give than Receive charity – 15 bikes
• More than 500 bikes donated through partnership with The Portico on Sunday mornings during available repair hours
• Purchased new signage for the Bikes from the Heart trailer

To learn how you can support Bikes from the Heart, please visit shfla.org/bikes. If you wish to make a financial contribution to the ministry, you can place a check in the weekly offertory made out to “Sacred Heart Catholic Church” with “Bikes from the Heart” on the memo line, or drop it off in person at the bike shop, and maybe stick around for a tour!

If you are clearing bikes from your garage, consider donating them to BFTH. They can be dropped off at the shop during their operational hours of Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bikes from the Heart obviously appreciates the power of prayer, and are always seeking additional prayers for their ministry and volunteers, and asks you to keep them in your prayers throughout the coming year.