Bikes Not Bombs uses the bicycle as a vehicle for social change to achieve economic mobility for Black and other marginalized people in Boston and the Global South. Each year we collect roughly 2,500 to 5,000 used bicycles and tons of used parts from our supporters around Greater Boston and New England. We ship most of these bikes overseas to economic development projects through our Global Partnerships in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Bikes that don't get shipped are distributed in Youth Pathways, where teens learn bicycle safety and mechanics skills in the process of earning bikes to keep for themselves. Working alongside adult staff, our paid Youth Apprentices refurbish more bikes to give to those in need; provide free bike-repair at pop-up events in underserved neighborhoods; and host quarterly Community Meetings to address community needs and concerns at the intersection of mobility, racial and economic justice, and sustainability.

Staff and paid Youth Apprentices working in our retail Bike Shop & Training Center also recondition and sell some of the donated bikes that we receive. Profits from bicycle sales, parts sales, and repairs go towards funding our youth and international work. Our Bike Shop serves as a community 'Hub' in the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, dedicated to supporting affordable and sustainable transportation options.