Bikes 'N' Roses GoFundMe Campaign View Full Caption Bikes 'N' Roses Co-op

ALBANY PARK — Bikes 'N' Roses, which trains youth in bike repair, recently lost $276,000 in funding when Gov. Bruce Rauner froze millions in state grant dollars following his inauguration in January.

Oscar Rivera Jr., the program's director, is now turning to his neighbors to help plug the hole in his budget.

A GoFundMe campaign, launched this week, aims to raise $70,000 — the "absolute minimum amount of money" Rivera determined he needs to keep Bikes 'N' Roses operational through the end of the year.

The cash infusion would allow Rivera to pay two youth a weekly stipend as interns, bring in a mechanic apprentice and, most importantly, keep the lights on at the bike shop long enough for the program to begin generating revenue on its own again.

It's a far cry from the 50 youth Bikes 'N' Roses had previously hired with the grant funds, the majority of whom came from low-income families 200 percent below the federal poverty line.

Rivera says his main consideration when arriving at the $70,000 figure was "how would I be able to use this money to make more money."

He reopened the doors at Bikes 'N' Roses, 3448 W. Lawrence Ave., where instead of employing dozens of youth, Rivera is the lone mechanic — fixing flats, tightening brakes, performing tune-ups — while also acting as sole salesman and tutor for the steady stream of teens who continue to volunteer at the shop.

"There's a lot going on," Rivera said. "But I'm willing. I'm young and strong. I can take a beating."

His commitment to the program has been bolstered by evidence that it works. One of his "graduates" recently got a job with Roscoe Village Bikes, "a stepping stone for everyone to follow," he said.

If there is a silver lining to the bike shop's plight, Rivera said it's the awareness that's been raised about the need for youth employment.

"The whole city, the whole state at large, sees how crucial it is for small businesses to support our community and youth," he said.

"I'd like them to think not just 'Hey, maybe I could give a few bucks'" to Bikes 'N' Roses, Rivera said, but "Hey, how about I hire one of those kids."

For more information about Bikes 'N' Roses GoFundMe campaign, click here.

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