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• Making a Wheel Difference

  Monday June 23, 2025
  

  Bicycling was something Tim Eves 鈥�79 enjoyed doing as an Engineering student at University of Detroit in the late 1970s.

  Now, he鈥檚 using bicycles to help people in need in his Tampa, Fla., community through a volunteer outreach ministry he started at his church.

  Bikes from the Heart is a program at Tampa鈥檚 Sacred Heart Catholic Church in which volunteers repair, refurbish and distribute bicycles to people who are desperate for transportation, including those who are homeless.

  鈥淚 was always drawn toward the needs of homeless people and just the awareness of their challenges,鈥� Eves said. 鈥淚 always knew that when I finished working, I wanted to do something to help people that were struggling.鈥�

  Since its inception in summer 2023, more than 1,500 refurbished bicycles have been donated to Tampa community members.

  The ministry has also brought together a group of U-D and 蘑菇视频 alumni that spans several generations 鈥� Eves, his wife, Betty (Giancarlo) Eves 鈥�80, Jim Rossman 鈥�63, Daniel Anderi 鈥�18 and Allison Booth 鈥�18.

  鈥淲e鈥檙e not all from Michigan,鈥� Booth said, 鈥渂ut went to the same University, and we鈥檙e able to share those shared experiences of being on campus and being alumni. It鈥檚 just furthered that connection to being part of the ministry.鈥�

  Building a ministry

  Bikes from the Heart wasn鈥檛 Eves鈥� first exposure to helping people through bicycles. He first started out by volunteering at a United Methodist Church in Tampa, where he fixed bikes on Sunday mornings for the homeless population.

  As he continued to volunteer, Eves saw a need beyond fixing bikes 鈥� people would come to the church and ask if they had any bikes to give away.

  鈥淚t was crystal clear that there was demand for these bikes,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was that experience that made me say, 鈥楾his would be great if we could find a way to do this.鈥� 鈥�

  A little persuasion helped Bikes from the Heart grow from an idea Eves and his friend, Tom Henry, shared, to a reality. And it started with rebuilding a deck for Rossman, which Eves and Henry constructed themselves two years ago after some convincing.

  鈥淎bout halfway through, Jim said, 鈥業鈥檇 like to make a donation to a charity of your guys鈥� choice,鈥� 鈥� Eves said. 鈥淭om and I had been kicking around this idea of starting our own bike ministry. We didn鈥檛 tell Jim right away that鈥檚 what we wanted to use the money for, but as we built the deck, we laid out the plans for this ministry.鈥�

  Bikes from the Heart operates out of a former school building at Sacred Heart and is one of the church鈥檚 15 ministry groups.

  Volunteers from all faith backgrounds work on bikes there from Tuesday through Thursday. On Sundays, they repair and distribute bikes at the Portico Cafe, a United Methodist Church social enterprise that assists those struggling with homelessness, addiction and incarceration.

  In addition to its Sunday efforts, Eves said the ministry distributes bicycles to nearly 30 different agencies and groups.

  鈥淥n those Sundays, you can visually see the instant gratification of giving someone just a set of wheels for transportation,鈥� Anderi said. 鈥淎 lot of them become food delivery folks in the community, or now they just have transportation other than a bus to get around town.鈥�

  To get a bicycle from Bikes from the Heart, an individual fills out an application at the Portico Cafe and returns the following Sunday to pick up their bike, with either a lock of their own or $10 to purchase one. During the week, volunteers refurbish enough bicycles to fulfill all applications.

  Each bike features a sticker along its frame, denoting that it is from the ministry. It not only spreads the ministry鈥檚 reach, it allows for lost bikes to be returned.

  鈥淲e鈥檒l see some of the people who come on a weekly basis to get their bike fixed,鈥� Booth said. 鈥淒an and I will be biking around Tampa on the weekends and we鈥檒l stop and talk to them. There鈥檚 that building of relationships, too, with other members of the community.鈥�

  Though Bikes from the Heart has donated 1,500 bikes since 2023, Eves doesn鈥檛 see things slowing down. There鈥檚 plenty of bikes coming into the ministry, both from the police and regional bus lines, where riders may forget their bike.

  He and Rossman estimate that another 1,500 bikes will be distributed over the next year.

  鈥淚 would say the demand is unlimited,鈥� Eves said. 鈥淔ortunately for us, the supply of bikes needing to be fixed is also pretty unlimited.鈥�

  A surprising connection

  Five U-D and UDM alumni connecting at a Tampa church was a happenstance.

  Tim and Betty Eves met Rossman shortly after they started attending Sacred Heart about 20 years ago.

  鈥淲ithin the first five minutes, we realized we were both U-D engineering grads,鈥� Eves said.

  Anderi and Booth, both UDM Architecture graduates, came into the fold much later, when they began attending Sacred Heart after relocating for Booth’s job. The pair knew no one when they arrived in Tampa and discovered a 鈥渘ice surprise鈥� in their University connection by volunteering with Bikes from the Heart.

  For a young couple trying to find community in a new area, the ministry made the transition to Tampa easier.

  鈥淭hey鈥檝e really taken us on like family,鈥� Anderi said. 鈥淲e get together frequently for the bikes, but then also outside of church and volunteering. It鈥檚 really been a great friendship and connection to have made.

  鈥淎llison and I got married last September, and as a nice surprise, Tim, Betty and Jim held a little wedding celebration for us with other volunteers. It鈥檚 been such a great blessing.鈥�

  鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great way to feel more rooted in a city,鈥� Booth added.

  Eves feels that he and the other alumni are living the University鈥檚 Jesuit and Mercy mission through Bikes from the Heart.

  鈥淚 do feel like what we鈥檙e doing is to the honor and glory of God,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e look at our God as a God of love, and we鈥檙e sharing that love with each other, but also the recipients of our bikes.

  鈥淚t鈥檚 really wonderful to meet these people, to build relationships with them and share some of God鈥檚 love with them. And in return, they share that love with us.鈥�

  The impact of giving

  The mission of Bikes from the Heart is making transportation accessible for all populations 鈥� especially in a humid subtropical climate such as Tampa鈥檚. It also expands the area in which recipients of bikes can travel.

  “When you鈥檙e living in Tampa, and especially in the summertime, when temperatures are in the 90s, it鈥檚 just not possible to walk to these different places,鈥� said Rossman. 鈥淭hey talk about how having that bike has changed their life and gave them mobility.鈥�

  Some bike recipients return to volunteer with Bikes from the Heart.

  One example Eves recalls is a young man who ended up in jail after a prescription drug problem.

  鈥淗e was a great auto mechanic before he had had these problems,鈥� Eves said. 鈥淗e worked with us on Sundays to help fix bikes, so we invited him to the shop. I think spending time with our community of volunteers really helped him make his step back out into the world.鈥�

  The supply of bikes isn’t limited to adults who need to get around town.

  鈥淥n numerous instances, we鈥檝e loaded up a minivan filled with children鈥檚 bikes just to give to a mom to bring home to her kids,鈥� Anderi said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just impacting those who show up on Sunday, but even families who may need bikes.鈥�

  The alumni involved with Bikes from the Heart regularly see the impact a bicycle has on the people who receive them. But they are also impacted by the ministry.

  鈥淲hen I was working, I always thought that 鈥榞iving back鈥� was a great saying,鈥� Eves said. 鈥淏ut some days, I just feel a little bit selfish 鈥� I get such a good feeling from what we鈥檙e doing, I don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檓 giving back at all.

  鈥淵ou come across these grateful people and there鈥檚 absolutely nothing like it. I think what we鈥檙e doing is a good thing. But we get so much out of this.鈥�

  If you are in the Tampa, Fla., area and want more information about Bikes from the Heart, email bikesfromtheheart@gmail.com.

  鈥斕鼴测听Ricky Lindsay. Follow 蘑菇视频 on听,听,听听补苍诲听. Have a story idea? Let us know by听submitting your idea.

• TENN garden party for community set for July 1 close to McNichols Campus

  Monday June 23, 2025
  

  All are welcome to join the Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) in celebrating the community and garden with an afternoon of food and harvesting on Tuesday, July 1. The free event is set to begin at 3 p.m. at the garden located at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

  The church is located at 16100 Lawton Street in Detroit.

  To RSVP and for more information, please contact tenn@udmercy.edu.

  

• Help support TENN, eat at Detroit Taco Company Monday, June 23

  Monday June 16, 2025
  

  Grab some tacos and help support 蘑菇视频’s Titan Equity Nourish Network on Monday, June 23.

  Visit Detroit Taco Company at either the Troy or Shelby Township locations from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 23 and 20% of the proceeds will go towards TENN. Mention you are there to support TENN or show them this post to take part!

  The fundraiser is part of ‘s Meaningful Mondays.

  

• Livernois-West McNichols named Michigan Main Street, bringing support for Live6 Alliance

  Thursday June 05, 2025
  

  The revitalization of Detroit continues. The Livernois-West McNichols area, close to the McNichols Campus, has been designated as a Michigan Main Street. By joining the Michigan Main Street program, will receive five years of hands-on expert support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. This support will focus on revitalizing the strategic corridor in northwest Detroit. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was on-hand for the announcement, on Tuesday, June 3. It brings support for , which has been tied into the University since its founding in 2015.

• Roy McCalister鈥檚 mental health seminar set for June 14

  Thursday June 05, 2025
  

  Join the University for Detroit City Council member Roy McCalister’s mental health seminar to learn tips and tricks for improving your mental well-being. The seminar takes place Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom on the McNichols Campus.

  A panel discussion will follow presentations from therapists, advisors, law enforcement officials and the hosts of the What Up Doe podcast.

  If you want to learn strategies and practical tips to boost your mental well-being, you won’t want to miss this FREE event. Lunch will also be provided.