Q&A: Re-Cycle Macon is helping people one bike at a time

Editor’s Note: This is an occasional series featuring conversations with leaders of area nonprofit organizations that provide a variety of services and support to many in the community.

The mission of Centenary Community Ministries is to develop sustainable communities through the revitalization of people and place.

One way the organization is doing that is through its bicycle program, Re-Cycle Macon.

The Telegraph spoke with Eric Mayle, executive director of Centenary Community Ministries, about the program.

Q: How would you describe what your organization does to help the community?

The mission of Re-Cycle Macon is building community, rebuilding bicycles. What we do is two-fold.

One, we offer bicycles to people in the community who have no transportation. You need some sort of transportation to access social services, to make it to doctor’s appointments, to the store and to work.

The second part of it is, we have monthly bike cooperatives where people from the community come out to our campus and help us. We have a free meal together and we fix bicycles. Those are the bicycles that are given to people in the community after they do their service hours.

Q: How long has the program been serving the community, and how many people work and volunteer there?

The program Re-Cycle Macon has been in existence since August 2017. The program started with a small grant from 880 Cities and the Knight Foundation, and recently we received a grant from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities to expand the program.

We probably have, volunteer-wise, about 50-70 people per month come to our events. There are four of us on staff.

Q: What is the newest or most unique program or service that you provide?

As of January of this year, we moved to a cooperative model where we have volunteers coming in and working on the bicycles together and getting them ready to give out to people in need. Also, if you have a bicycle, you’re welcome to bring your own bicycle to the co-op, and we have the tools and the people to help. You can work on your own bicycle and get people to help you as well.

Q: Do you have an annual event or special community activity that our readers should know about?

The monthly co-ops. The next one is Aug. 22. We have co-ops already scheduled for the rest of the year. All of those are listed on our website, re-cyclemacon.org.

For more information about Re-Cycle Macon, call 478-742-8926