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- CommentAuthorgreg
- CommentTimeJun 10th 2009
What are your favorite bike non-profits and why? There are plenty of organizations out there that use bicycles as a way to help others or promote biycling in general.
Who do you donate to?
Who's mission do you support the most?
Why? -
- CommentAuthorqman
- CommentTimeJun 10th 2009
hay ,not sure what it called but my g/f goes to school in nyc and part of her schooling was to do a no profit thing and they did this thing where they got bikes for vets back from the war and homeless who need a bike to get to there jobs , they go out find bikes and old frames and parts that are given by companys and shops , then they give the bikes and parts to this trade school where the people who are learning welding and just genral fix it put the bikes together or repair them . it help 3 diffrent groups , it learning and giving so it win win . -
- CommentAuthortoroadie
- CommentTimeJun 10th 2009 edited
Bike non profits are very tied to the location they operate in, but here's my list.
The Toronto Cyclists Union is like the CAA (or AAA) for bikes. It has one paid well spoken advocate who speaks to the media and the group organizes the rabble to push the politicos for bike infrastructure. Other than the DIY Urban repair squad, it's one of the few ways to legally push for bike lanes. (Member since it started in 2008).
Other than the above, there's the usual grab bag of charities which use bike events to raise funds..
The ride for heart is a one day event where two highways in downtown Toronto are given over to bikes. It's worth donating just to enjoy the perfectly smooth car free roads for 75km. Oh and $$ goes towards heart and stroke research. (Donor & participant).
The inside ride is a charity which funds camps for kids with cancer. Groups of 6 people ride 10 minutes each and compete for largest distance/best spirit etc, and win trophies, prizes and bragging rights. (Donor & participant).
The ride to conquer cancer is a two day ride Toronto to Niagara falls in support of cancer research & treatment. (donor). -
- CommentAuthoriron jaiden
- CommentTimeJun 11th 2009
Bicycle Kitchen in Los Angeles is probably my favorite non-profit out there. 30 or so volunteers all about teaching people how to build and maintain their bikes. Simple mission executed flawlessly.
They've even got this awesome summer workshop where kids can come in, build themselves a bike, and leave with the finished product. Damn cool.
Happily I don't live in LA anymore but I do miss the kitchen. -
- CommentAuthorsfbee
- CommentTimeJun 11th 2009
We have a similar coop here in Houston:
http://www.workshophouston.org/programs/bike-shop/
I never seem to make it out to it due to work schedule constraints, but it's definitely an awesome program -
- CommentAuthorKillercricket
- CommentTimeJun 11th 2009
Here in philly we have
Bike Church
Its underneeth a chappel, and its a workshop/scrapyard/bike shop
Helping kids get bikes, and helping to teach people
how to fix and maintaine there bikes
inexpensivly i might add -
- CommentAuthorcloud
- CommentTimeJun 11th 2009
if you're in AZ check out Bike Saviours at http://www.bikesaviours.org/
it's a great organization, you can build a whole bike for $50 and there's help all around.
they also teach free bike mechanics classes. -
- CommentAuthorRuffinit
- CommentTimeJun 17th 2009
In Iowa City (University of Iowa Hawkeyes) they have what's called a Bike Library. They check you out a bike on Saturday (fees range) and you have it for 6 months. If you decide to turn it back in before the 6 months is up you get your fee back, if you decide to keep it, it's yours. Tuesday through Friday nights we (mechanics) repair donated bikes and repair those that are still checked out. Pretty cool way to get bikes in the hands of those who want them and put people on bikes. Which reminds me, there's an old British Falcon hanging on the wall that someone could buy for $25..
bikelibrary.org -
- CommentAuthorwes m.
- CommentTimeJun 17th 2009
The bike library looks cool, great concept. I dont donate money or time to an official non profit. I do fix all of my friends bikes, loan tools and garage space, find cheap bikes and fix them up for friends who want to start riding, loan beater bikes out indefinitely, encourage everyone to ride, organize rides, and use my house as a checkpoint/fuel station/emergency repair shop for anyone who may be riding through my area. Its not much but I hope more miles are ridden as a result. There are a couple good non profits in my general area but none in my town. I'd like to get something going so we could get some people other than friends of friends onto bikes. -
- CommentAuthordeejaycunning
- CommentTimeJun 18th 2009
In Salt Lake City we have a great organization called Salt Lake Bicycle Collective. We promote bicycle as a means of transportation and advocate for bicycle safety.
Our doors are open a few times a week for the community to use our shop and tools. We donate lots of bikes to other organizations in our community.
http://www.slcbikecollective.org/ -
- CommentAuthorRuffinit
- CommentTimeJun 18th 2009
deejay, looks pretty classy. The Library is very low budget, but gets lots of attention. Looks like you all have plenty of things going on there. Wes, as you know, cycling is a life-changing thing. Whatever you do to enhance someone's life as a result of your efforts is never in vain. Keep up the great work.
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