Neighborhood Bike Works
Encyclopedia
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.
(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.
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 sold in a silent auction to 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
, The Philadelphia Inquirer
, Metro Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Paper
, The Daily Pennsylvanian
, Comcast Network
, and a number of smaller local news sources.
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
. It seeks to increase educational opportunities for urban youth through bicycling.
History
Located at Saint Mary's ChurchSaint Mary's Church, Hamilton Village
St. Mary’s Church, Hamilton Village, is an Episcopal Church located on the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It calls itself the Episcopal Church at Penn to emphasize its campus ministry...
(40th and Locust Walk), on the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
campus, NBW started in 1996 as Youth Cycle & Recycle, a program of The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is a nonprofit advocacy group working to improve conditions forbicyclists in the Greater Philadelphia region through advocacy and education. The BCGP was founded in 1972 and has a...
. It became a separate non-profit in July 1999. A shop in the Haddington
Haddington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Haddington is a neighborhood in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is arguably located between 52nd Street and 63rd Street, bounded by Chestnut Street and Girard Avenue....
neighborhood at 60th and Vine opened in 2002, and a shop in North Philadelphia at 1426 W. Susquehanna Avenue, near Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
opened in 2009. NBW's South Philadelphia shop, called The Bikery, at 508 S. 5th St. opened in 2010.
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 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 mentoringMentoring
Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
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 sold in a silent auction to as a fundraiser for NBW youth programs.
Achievements
- Since 1999, over 4,000 students have earned at least 5000 bicycles.
- In 2002, Neighborhood Bike Works received a Waste Watchers Award for its environmental stewardship from the Pennsylvanian Department of Environmental Protection.
- In 2008, Neighborhood Bike Works won a Sustainability Award from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
- In 2010, Neighborhood Bike Works received a Sustainability Award from Spiral Q Puppet TheaterSpiral Q Puppet TheaterSpiral Q Puppet Theater is a puppet troupe that was founded in 1995 by Matthew "Mattyboy" Hart in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After traveling the country he was inspired by the street performance work of the Radical Faeries and the Bread and Puppet Theater in Glover, Vermont...
- In 2010, Neighborhood Bike Works was named an Exemplary Social Service by the Exemplars Project of Partners for Sacred Places.
- In 2011, Neighborhood Bike Works was nominated for a Human Values Award.
In The News
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
, Metro Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper is a free alternative news weekly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in November 1981 as a spin-off of the now defunct WXPN Express newsletter. New issues are released every Thursday....
, The Daily Pennsylvanian
The Daily Pennsylvanian
The Daily Pennsylvanian is the independent daily student newspaper of the University of Pennsylvania.It is published every weekday when the university is in session by a staff of more than 250 students. During the summer months, a smaller staff produces a weekly version called The Summer...
, Comcast Network
Comcast Network
Comcast Network is a cable television station that is shown mostly in parts of Comcast Cable services in the Eastern part of the US. Viewed in four states and 20 television markets from New Jersey to Virginia on Comcast cable systems. The main focus of the network is Philadelphia although they...
, and a number of smaller local news sources.
See also
External links
- NeighborhoodBikeWorks.org, Official Site.
- Neighborhood Bike Works Bike Part Art Show, Annual benefit exhibition of local art created from used bicycle parts.
- Money Matters Today segment on Neighborhood Bike Works, Profiling Neighborhood Bike Works's success in youth development.