'Jack the Bike Man' faces challenges during pandemic

For years "Jack the Bike Man" has been a pillar in the community, fixing up old bikes and donating them to kids who can't afford one.

THE COMMUNITY FIXING UP OLDBIKES AND DONATING THEM TOKIDS WHO CAN'T AFFORD ONE.WPTV NEWSCHANNEL FIVE'S TANIAROGERS EXPLAINS HE IS NOWFACED WITH TWO CHALLENGES--THE PANDEMIC AND HIGH RENT.<< "GETTING THE GLUE OFF."WORKERS BUSY INSIDE THE "JACKTHE BIKE MAN" WAREHOUSE...MAKING SURE THESE USED BIKESLOOK NEW AGAIN FOR A CHILD WHOCAN'T AFFORD ONE.

THE HOLIDAYSARE HERE, AND THOUGH IT'S ATIME TO BE HAPPY, JACKHAIRSTON SAYS HE HAS A LOT ONHIS MIND.

HE SAYS THE RENT ISABOUT 175-THOUSAND DOLLARS AYEAR... RENT HE SAYS IS HARDTO AFFORD.

"I WOULD RATHER USETHAT MONEY TO HELP THECHILDREN SO IT BECAME MYMISSION TO FIND A BUILDINGTHAT WE CAN OWN, AND I HAVEFOUND ONE.

IT'S A BEAUTIFULTWO-STORY BUILDING IT WASBUILT IN 1925." THE BUILDINGIS JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM THECURRENT WAREHOUSE IN WEST PALMBEACH... HE SAYS IT WILL TAKETIME AND MONEY TO RENOVATE THEBUILDING THE ORGANIZATIONWANTS TO CALL THEIR OWN."BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC WEARE GOING THROUGH THIS YEARTHE DONATION RATE HAS BEEN ALITTLE LOWER." AND BECAUSEHE'S NOT ABLE TO HAVE HISYEARLY FUNDRAISERS, THE LACKOF ENOUGH DONATIONS IS ALSOAFFECTING HOW MANY KIDS WIGET A BIKE THIS YEAR.

"NOTONLY DID WE LOSE A LOT OFINCOME FROM THE EVENTS, THEINDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONSPEOPLE WHO NORMALLY SEND US 25OR 50 DOLLARS A YEAR OR A 100AND SOME 1000, THAT HADWINDLED DRAMATICALLY." "JACKSAYS EVERY YEAR HE IS ABLE TOGIVE AWAY AT LEAST 2,000BICYCLES TO KIDS.

BUT THISHOLIDAY SEASON HE IS ONLY ABTO GIVE AWAY 1200." "THE SADPART IS THIS PANDEMIC HASCAUSED THAT AND IT'S ALSOGOING TO CAUSE A PROBLEM FOROUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY."JACK SAYS THE BIKES WILL BEHANDED OUT THROUGH VARIOUSORGANIZATIONS, INSTEAD OF ATTHEIR ANNUAL HOLIDAY BIKEGIVEAWAY.

HE'S HOPING TO SEEBRIGHTER TIMES NEXT YEAR.TANIA ROGERS, WPTV,NEWSCHANNEL FIVE