Working Bikes

Do you own an unwanted bike? It could be a banana seat bike your daughter outgrew 20 years ago; a BMX bike from your son’s teenage years; a fun road bike bought on a whim; or a “vintage” bike you haven’t ridden in years but just can’t quite get rid of. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone! Countless bicycles are discarded or sit unused in garages across the United States. But these bikes still have life in them and could be put to good use.

Each year, people from across the Midwest donate over 10,000 bicycles to Working Bikes, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Chicago. We donate used bicycles to those in need in developing countries and in low-income communities in Chicago.

Why are bikes important? In areas plagued by poverty, high levels of unemployment, and a lack of efficient transportation, a bicycle can help provide access to jobs, education, medical attention, and other resources. A bicycle can truly change the life of an individual, their family and their community. 

Working Bikes ships thousands of bicycles to our partners in countries throughout Central America and Africa, including El Salvador, Panama, Nicaragua, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Ghana, Botswana, Malawi and Zambia. Locally, Working Bikes donates to individuals and community organizations in Chicago, providing transportation to people in homeless transition, refugee resettlement, and youth empowerment programs. 

Working Bikes donates over 7,000 bicycles annually to our international and local partners, and we need your help to sustain and strengthen our impact! Your gift will support our local and international bike donations, volunteer bike repair program, and bike education programs. Your support keeps us rolling!

To support Working Bikes without the processing fees you can mail check donations to 2434 S. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60608.