Today is Blog Action Day and this year's subject is poverty. This morning, I didn't know what to write. At the time, I had forgotten about the little adventure I scheduled over lunch. Around 11:30 I boarded the Forest Park Blue Line and half an hour later, I stepped into the Working Bikes Cooperative.
"Working Bikes," as it's commonly called, is a not-for-profit driven primarily by volunteers who fix up donated and recycled bikes for sale and for charity. Here's some more information from their website:
"Currently [the Working Bikes Cooperative] receives no government or foundation money. All its operations are funded through the sale of bicycles at its storefront. Working Bikes uses that money to provide bicycles to charity organizations within Chicagoland and to ship bicycles to the Gulf Coast, Ghana, Tanzania, Angola, Cuba, Guatemala, and Peru.
In the countries to which Working Bikes ships, a bicycle can often mean the difference between work and unemployment. The bicycle is the primary means of vehicular transportation for the majority of the population and is used both for personal transportation and for carrying cargo.
Due to wage differences, a bicycle worth $20 in Chicago can be worth the equivalent of $1,000 in Africa.
Each year Working Bikes gives away over 5,000 bicycles locally and internationally. It distributes about 500 bicycles and wheelchairs in the Chicago area alone: to City programs, refugees and day camps."
If you're looking for a bike, consider the Working Bikes Cooperative. I found a vintage Raleigh Capri and also supported those in need of reliable transportation.
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