| Type | Nonprofit |
|---|---|
| Industry | Youth organizations |
| Founded | July 1999 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Headquarters | 3916 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Area served | University City, West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, Norristown, |
| Employees | Approx. 10 |
| Website | Official Site |
Established in 1999, the Neighborhood Bike Works is a nonprofit educational organization in West Philadelphia. It seeks to increase educational opportunities for urban youth through bicycling.
Contents |
Located at Saint Mary's Church (40th and Locust Walk), on the University of Pennsylvania campus, NBW started in 1996 as Youth Cycle & Recycle, a program of The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. It became a separate non-profit in July 1999. A shop in the Haddington neighborhood at 60th and Vine opened in 2002, and a shop in North Philadelphia at 1426 W. Susquehanna Avenue, near Temple University opened in 2009. NBW's South Philadelphia shop, called The Bikery, at 508 S. 5th St. opened in 2010.
NBW runs Earn-a-Bike classes for youth on bike repair and bike safety after school, on weekends, and in the summer. Students complete a 7-week basic bicycle repair class, fixing up used bikes donated by the community. Upon completion, they earn this bike for themselves, together with a helmet and lock. The program features mentoring and positive role models.
Many past youth participants have remained involved in the program, improving their skills while earning credits used to buy parts and accessories. Other programs for youth include summer camps, a youth cycling team that participates in cycling races, leadership development, academic support and tutoring, mountain biking training, and a yearly charity bike build.
At the University City location, NBW also operates a community bicycle co-op that offers local residents the opportunity to repair their own bikes without charge, as well as adult bicycle repair classes. The shop in North Philadelphia is a fully functioning retail bike shop specializing in used bicycles and bike repair.
At The Bikery shop in South Philly, community members can drop by during Open Shop hours to fix their bikes, or come during the 'Bike Cafe' to relax and learn about bikes and cycling. As a member of Philadelphia's Magic Gardens Arts on South, the South Philly shop embraces alternative uses for bikes and cycling. They host an artist-in-residence, using the space as both workspace and gallery, participate in South Street's Fourth Fridays and are partnered with Gearing Up and Spokes people to teach business skills to women in transition by making bike part jewelry.
Every year since 2003, NBW has held an annual Bike Part Art Show, which allows local artists to make artwork from old bike parts or celebrating bike culture. Art is also sold in a silent auction as a fundraiser for NBW youth programs.
For its unique approach to community development, Neighborhood Bike Works has garnered press coverage in The New York Times, CBS News,[6] The Philadelphia Inquirer,[7][8] Metro Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Paper,[9] The Daily Pennsylvanian, Comcast Network,[10] and a number of smaller local news sources.[11]