Working Bikes

Working Bikes
Founded 1999
Founder Amy Little, Lee Ravenscroft
Type Non-profit organization
Purpose Giving old bikes a new home
Location
  • 2434 S. Western Ave Chicago, IL 60608
Area served
Africa, Central and South America, Middle East, United States
Website Working Bikes

Working Bikes Cooperative is a not-for-profit tax-exempt 501(c)3 volunteer-driven organization based in Chicago, IL that aims to divert bicycles from the waste stream and put them to use in Chicago and abroad.[1] It operates a warehouse, shipping center, repair shop and retail outlet from its location in the Pilsen neighborhood.[2] Working Bikes mission is to provide bicycles to charity organizations in the Chicago area to benefit youth, transitioning homeless and refugees as well as to ship bicycles to the Gulf Coast and around the world.[3]

Each year Working Bikes gives away approximately 6,000 bikes.[3] To date Working Bikes has distributed over 55,000 bikes.

Background

Lee Ravenscroft started a one man garage operation by simply collecting old discarded bikes and fixing them up.[1] Later he intercepted bikes being hauled by 'metal scrappers' on their way to recycling centers.

Lee along with Amy Little, who saw the need for bikes in Central America while in the Peace Corps, and a group of volunteers started Working Bikes. After its first shipment to Nicaragua the operation grew into its first location at 927 & 1125 (the warehouse & storefront, respectively) S. Western Avenue. In 2009 the operation moved into its current home which, in the past housed a Borax Factory, a mattress factory and a furniture store. This three floor 20,000 square foot warehouse at 2434 S. Western Avenue brought the store and warehouse under one roof.[2]

Storefront and Local Programs

Working Bikes sells refurbished bikes to the public as well as operates a full repair shop and sells select bikes, components and merchandise through an online store. The funds from these (with program funding, grants and individual donations) enable Working Bikes to operate.[4]

Working Bikes strives to connect with the local community and is involved in a range of programs; Brandons Basics offers free beginning bike repair classes, runs an After School Matters group, supports Veterans and other community groups through their Cycle of Power programs, hosts WTF Night (a volunteer session exclusively for women, transgender, and gender non-conforming volunteers), participates in leadership training programs, hosts numerous bike rides around this city for various groups, supports bicycle safety and advocacy efforts, hosts dinners and community meetings among other efforts.

Working Bikes donates about 25% of its bikes to local partners and a wide range of community groups and social service organizations in the Chicago area, including the Chicago Help Initiative, Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy, Renaissance Social Services, Refugee One, Rehabilitative Systems, Mercy Housing, Better Boys Foundation, Hines Veteran Hospital, the Salvation Army, Streetwise, Chicago Help Initiative, One Summer Chicago and many, many others.

Working Bikes even donates some of the bikes it collects to other community bicycle programs so that the benefits of cycling can be expanded. These include Blackstone Bicycle Works, Rebel Bikes/Milwaukee Bike Collective and Revolutions Bike Co-op Memphis among others.

Volunteers and Partners

As general manager Paul Fitzgerald says "Without the volunteers Working Bikes would not be able to operate". Volunteers help with everything from repairing bikes, aiding customers to packing 500 or so bicycles into forty foot containers that are shipped around the world.

In addition to individuals Working Bikes depends on the many churches, businesses, police departments, park districts, recycling events, Eagle Scout bike drives, property management companies, universities, condo/apartments, townships, bike stores, and other groups individuals and organizations that provide bikes, drop off locations, do independent bike drives in addition to helping pack trucks and fix bikes.

Global Partners

Working Bikes regularly ships cargo containers full of bikes to its various global partners which include:

Bikes have also been sent to Botswana, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Syria, Tanzania. Bikes have also been included in shipments to Cuba through the Pastors for Peace caravans. In addition to sending bikes, shipments also include; cycling helmets, a full range of spare parts, wheelchairs, crutches and even sewing machines to low income areas where these donations can make a notable impact on the lives of the recipients.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Margaret Sheridan (March 24, 2013). "Remarkable Woman: Amy Little". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  2. 1 2 Kevin Warwick (May 5, 2011). "Working Bikes Co-op welcomes all bikes, even the really screwed-up ones". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  3. 1 2 Dan Bush (Apr 7, 2011). "Working Bikes Cooperative". UPChicago. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  4. ↑ "Working Bikes Cooperative". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
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