troy bike rescue

From troybikerescue.org:

Troy Bike Rescue is a collective of people in the capital region committed to removing bikes from the waste stream and getting them back on the streets. Operating on a volunteer basis out of donated spaces in both Troy and Albany, NY, we are part of an international movement of “community bike projects” - using bicycles to create community.

To get involved:
In Albany, visit the Trinity Basement on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings 5-8pm.
In Troy, come by The Yarden at 165 9th st for Monday night work sessions and meetings.

To donate bikes, parts, or tools:
For Troy drop-offs, contact us via email or call 518-573-7947
For Albany drop-offs, call Dakota at (518) 986-2256
We occasionally do pick-ups for large donations

The plea for a space:
Troy Bike Rescue is looking for a workshop space in Troy for the summer - and beyond?. I hope you’ll take a moment to put on your thinking cap and let us know if you come up with any ideas. Think garages, carriage houses, vacant storefronts, underutilized church basements, etc. What about an empty lot, where we could put a shed?

Currently, we meet every Monday in a back yard to work on bikes and we store bikes, parts & tools in a musty gross basement with fiberglass dust in the air.

As spring has sprung, we are getting a lot of interest from the community. This is great! Folks want to come over, help out, fix up a bike and take it away. Neighborhood youth are coming by and wanting to work on their bikes and earn bikes by helping us out, and the Farmers Market is interested in hosting us once a month. … the list goes on. There is potential for real growth, here! More people biking in and around Troy!

The problem is that we don’t have a place to grow. We are a grassroots network of volunteers working without a budget and while the bike donations are coming in (a good thing!), what we really need is a garage, carriage house, or some type of space to meet and work. We would, of course, pay for utilities, and could manage to pay some rent, but ideally the space would be donated - either temporarily or indefinitely. TBR does not deal much in money. Most bikes are ‘earned’ by volunteers in exchange for time, and no one gets paid. When we are open, we are a free resource for people to come and fix their own bikes as well. Having a more public meeting space would allow for classes, and more specific workshops to teach people about commuting, etc.