Dan Lill and Bill D’Anza – R Community Bikes

In 2001, Dan Lill and Bill D’Anza were serving lunch at St. Joe’s House of Hospitality in Rochester when a man off the streets came in and asked if anyone knew how to fix a bike. Bill went out to take a look, and before he knew it, a crowd of people had gathered, all asking him to fix their bikes. The demand was so great that Dan and Bill began a weekly bike repair clinic in the St. Joe’s parking lot, and also started giving bikes away to those who didn’t have one. They realized there was a real need for bikes and bike repairs in this underserved Rochester community where bicycles are the only form of transportation to school and work. In 2008 they founded R Community Bikes and since they started, R Community Bikes has given away well over 10,000 bikes and repaired close to 9,000.  

Contact Information:

Address: 226 Hudson Ave | Rochester, NY 14626 https://soundcloud.com/etown-3/1439-echievement-dan-lil-bill-danza