Home Team: Bearings Bike Shop

Bearings Bike Shop is a non-profit youth development organization in southwest Atlanta where kids can earn a bike of their own while gaining the hard and soft skills necessary to successfully transition into adulthood and the workforce. We, like Bearings, believe every kid has the potential to succeed when they’re given the right tools. We are so impressed with their work and stand with them in their commitment to better prepare youth to transition into education, training, or employment opportunities that can lead to economic autonomy and mobility.

We caught up with Becky O’Mara, Co-founder and Director of Development at Bearings, to ask our usual questions and hear more about their vision for the future. Enjoy–

What does Atlanta mean to you?

Atlanta is such a culturally rich city, and that diversity has long been a strength very few other cities have or celebrate. We also see it as a place of innovation and new ideas, across a multitude of sectors. It feels like daily many people are busy going about the work of changing the world. It’s always been our hope to leverage the strengths of our city to help young people thrive.

What's got you busy? (What work has your attention at the moment?)

Bearings Bike Shop is hard at work building out what will be a youth development program space in southwest Atlanta unlike anything in the city. Every day we show up ready to help young people leverage their inner strengths, build self-confidence, capitalize on opportunities, and achieve their individual goals. And we use bicycles to do it. This fall, we’ll open our new home on the Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail and can’t wait to help young people develop the skills that will carry them into adulthood and the workplace.

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“It’s always been our hope to leverage the strengths of our city to help young people thrive.”

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Who or what are you inspired by as you do your work?

We’re so inspired by the young people we serve. Many are overcoming obstacles and working hard to find their path to success, and we’re grateful we get to walk alongside them in it, helping as we’re able.

Anything you would want to say about Too Busy To Hate as a partner?

We’re inspired by the team at Too Busy to Hate by their heart for our city, their positivity and how they their skills to impact change. Thank you for supporting Bearings!