Thanks to all who took the time to donate a bike(s) to the Third World Apostolate`s bike collection for Bikes-Not-Bombs (BNB).  We collected 94 bikes!  Although we didn`t break our record for last year (which remains BNB`s largest collection ever), we hit a milestone with regard to participation in the event itself.  Eleven 9^th grade students volunteered to "flatten" the bikes for shipment by removing and turning in the pedals, turning the handlebars sideways, and lowering the seats. Several members of Testament assisted throughout the day as well.  We�fve now learned that these bikes will be shipped next week by container to Ghana, West Africa. 

Once there, your bikes will help in many ways, such as allowing a child access to school,

or enhancing a family-run business or farm operation (thereby raising family income allowing greater access to health care).  Many of the bikes will be used in the start-up of small bicycle repair shops, where BNB provides technical and business training making this a locally sustainable economic investment. Thanks to all who donated bikes and to all who donated their time to assist in making this bike collection a success!!!

Since 2003 St. John`s Third World Apostolate has asked parishioners to donate bicycles to send to the poor in developing countries, in conjunction with the Bikes-Not-Bombs (BNB) program in Jamaica Plain.   Bikes Not Bombs is a non-profit organization working for alternative transportation and community development.  The group operates a Bicycle Recycling and Youth Training Center in Jamaica Plain, to promote environmental education, meaningful employment, and safe sustainable communities, both in the Jamaica Plan area and abroad.

Bikes can be remarkably effective in developing countries, improving men`s and women`s ability to haul farm produce or other goods to market and increasing access to health care, jobs and schools.  Bike repair shops stimulate local economies as well.  BNB has sent over 30,000 bikes to Central America, the Caribbean and Africa (and New Orleans) in the last 23 years.  BNB also sends technicians and tools for start-up projects in developing countries. 

BNB currently receives approximately 5,000 used bicycles and tons of used parts each year.  They ship about 3,500 of these bikes to economic development projects (micro-enterprise bike businesses, sustainable technology projects, and youth training programs) in Ghana, Guatemala and South Africa every year.  (In the past BNB has worked in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and El Salvador, and they continue to accept new requests for assistance from projects in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.)  BNB`s uses the remainder of the collected bikes at their Jamaica Plain center; some are used in their co-ed youth Earn-A-Bike programs and others are repaired by teenage mechanics as part of their Vocational Training programs and are for sale at BNB�fs bike shop.  BNB also offers girls-only programs all year round.  Adult volunteers help teach youth in the Earn-A-Bike programs. 

For more information about BNB, go to their website www.bikesnotbombs.org.