Neighborhood Bike Works is a nonprofit educational organization in West Philadelphia that seeks to increase opportunities for urban youth through bicycling.

Description:
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in West Philadelphia. Our primary programs are after school classes for neighborhood youth which teach bike maintenance, repair and safe riding. Students can earn their own bike (with helmet & lock) by completing our basic course & spending time in the shop fixing up donated bikes. Once they have earned a bike, students can come back for drop-in classes, an advanced course and other special events. We also regularly take rides around the city, and perform community service by checking bikes for youth in other neighborhoods. Our program uses an asset building approach to youth development.

At present our funding is largely through private foundations.

We need volunteers to work directly with youth in bike repair and safety classes, to come on rides with us and for administrative tasks. No experience is necessary. We are seeking volunteers who like to work with youth and like working with their hands. Our classes are often a lot of fun.

Our program also includes lessons on bikes and the environment and health and nutrition.

Classes consist of around eight youth. About 100 youth are served each year. Many of them earn more than one bike.

History:
The Neighborhood Bike Works started in 1996 as Youth Cycle & Recycle, a program of The Bicycle Coalition of the Delaware Valley. We organized as a separate non-profit in July 1999. We branched out into a second location at 60th and Vine in Haddington in July 2002.

Contact people:

Andy Dyson, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Nadine Vassallo, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (215) 386-7288

Address:

St Mary's Parish Hall, 3916 Locust Walk Philadelphia, PA 19104 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org

Directions:

We are in the parish hall behind St. Mary's Church, between Locust Walk and Irving Street. Get on Chestnut St if you are coming from West of the City, or Walnut St if coming from the East or from I76 (Schulkyll Expressway) By car you must approach via 40th St. southbound. Turn left onto Irving (unmarked). There is limited parking for the church off of Irving St. Please let us know if you need to park here. It is not usually possible, but may be if we give the church plenty of notice. By bike or on foot you can also get to Irving or Locust Walk via 39th St. You will see an alleyway between a white house and St Mary's Church. Go down this alley and you will see a glass porch. Our doorbell is the bike brake lever to the right of this porch on the ground to the right of the steps. There is a map on our website, http://neighborhoodbikeworks.org/location.html Unfortunately, we are not wheelchair accessible, as we are in the basement.   Nearest Bus Stop: SEPTA 21, 42 or 44, 2 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.septa.com/

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?
	Yes