Official website: http://www.recycleabicycle.org/
Recycle-A-Bicycle (RAB) is a community-based bike shop and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that facilitates job training and environmental education. Through innovative programs such as Earn-A-Bike, Green Jobs Training Programs, High School Internships, Recycled Arts Workshops, Summer Youth Employment Program, and Kids Ride Club, RAB is dedicated to the health, development, stewardship, and empowerment of NYC youth. In the past year alone, more than 1,000 RAB youth collectively refurbished 500 bicycles, pedaled 24,000 miles, and burned 1,750,000 calories. On average, RAB salvages 1,800 bicycles each year from the waste stream, diverting a total of 45,000 pounds of waste from NYC’s landfills. Every purchase from their storefronts directly supports their youth programs and environmental initiatives.
Recycle-A-Bicycle consists of two storefronts (in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Dumbo, Brooklyn), an education center (in Long Island City, Queens), and seventeen school-based programs, six of which are located in District 75. District 75 is a citywide district that provides educational opportunities for students with learning and developmental disabilities. In spring of 2010, RAB opened its first school-based shop on Staten Island, geographically locating the organization on every borough.
In addition to their storefronts and workshops, Recycle-A-Bicycle engages communities through several events and advocacy initiatives like Bike Bonanzas, the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Summit, and their annual Youth Bike Summit. As the economic and cultural climates of New York City evolve, Recycle-A-Bicycle recognizes that youth participation is an essential component to creating a sustainable cycling movement.