Founded 1998 | ||
Founder Amy Little, Lee Ravenscroft Type Non-profit organization Location 2434 S. Western Ave Chicago, IL 60608 Area served Africa, Central and South America Slogan Giving old bikes a new home | ||
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. It operates a warehouse, shipping center, repair shop and retail outlet from its location in the Pilsen neighborhood. 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.
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Each year Working Bikes gives away approximately 5,000 bikes. To date Working Bikes has distributed over 50,000 bikes.
Background
Working Bikes was started by Lee Ravenscroft simply by collecting old discarded bikes and fixing them up. Later he intercepted bikes being hauled by 'metal scrappers' on their way to recycling centers. From there Working Bikes has grown from a one man garage operation to its first location at 927 & 1125 (the warehouse & storefront, respectively) S. Western Avenue to its current home of a three floor 20,000 square feet warehouse at 2434 S. Western Avenue.
Storefront
Working Bikes sells refurbished bikes to the public as well as operates a full repair shop which funds the operation along with program funding, grants and individual donations.
Volunteers and Partners
As operations 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 Working Bikes would not be able to operate with out the many individuals and organizations that do bike drives and collect bicycles. These efforts provide the bikes that are shipped out as well as those that are sold in the store front.
Global Partners
Working Bikes ships regularly cargo containers full of bikes to its various global partners which include:
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.