Neighborhood Bike Works

Neighborhood Bike Works
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
Number of employees
 Approx. 12
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.

History and locations

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 2003, 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.

2007 MLK Service Day
Slow bike race with Haddington on the Move, 2005.

Activities

NBW runs Earn-a-Bike classes for youth on bike repair and bike safety after school, on weekends, and in the summer. Students complete an eight-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.

Achievements

Media coverage

Bike ride with instructors and students at 40th and Locust, 2005.

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]

See also

References

External links

Coordinates: 39°57′09″N 75°12′07″W / 39.9524°N 75.2019°W