Portland Design Works: For the Planet

At Portland Design Works, we are a proud member of 1% For The Planet. Each year we donate 1% of our top of line revenue to nonprofit organizations working to protect our planet. A couple of our favorite nonprofits also happen to being doing important work to enrich the lives of the youth in their communities through bicycles. 

Blackstone Bicycle Works

Chicago, IL

Blackstone Bicycle Works opened on Chicago's South Side in 1994 as a project of the Resource Center, the city's oldest and largest non-profit recycler. The shop grew out of a need to utilize the abundance of bikes encountered in the waste stream and a desire to explore avenues of alternative education in the local community.

Blackstone Bicycle Works is a community bike shop and youth education program of the nonprofit, the Experimental Station. The mission of Blackstone is to provide educational and vocational opportunities to youth from some of Chicago's most under-served neighborhoods. Blackstone is structured as a retail, full-service bike shop that offers an "earn and learn," hands-on bicycle mechanics curriculum to its participants. Their year-round program teaches participating youths on-the-job training in mechanics and repair, customer service and management, and peer-education. 

Approximately 175 youths work at Blackstone Bicycle Works each year.

Community Cycling Center

Portland, OR

For over 20 Years The Community Cycling Center has been on a mission to broaden access to bicycling and its benefits.

Their vision is to help build a vibrant community where people of all backgrounds use bicycles to stay healthy and connected. Rooted in their belief that all Portlanders—regardless of income or background—should have the opportunity to experience the joy, freedom, and health benefits of bicycling.

The Community Cycling Center currently operates a full-service bike shop, and facilitates incredible programs and projects that benefit under-served communities in Portland. Their programs allow kids to ride to school, adults to ride to work, and many people to ride for health and recreation. 

The CCC hosts bike drives and a summer bike camp for youth. In addition, they offer low income commuter services, as well as maintenance classes. Each year they gather over 500 volunteers to host their annual Holiday Bike Drive where they refurbish and gift hundreds of bikes to children in need.

More of our favorite 1% For The Planet Nonprofit Partners

People for Bikes

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The Street Trust

Northwest Trail Alliance

Atlanta Bicycle Coalition

Adventure Cycling Association

Safe Routes to Schools

Active Transportation Alliance

Friends of Gateway Green

Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition

Bike Works Seattle

Forest Park Conservancy

PDW & 1% For The Planet

Each time you purchase a Portland Design Works product 1% of that sale goes to a global network of nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting the environment. To date, PDW has given over $100,000 to bicycle advocacy and environmental organizations through the 1% program.
For more information about 1% for the Planet, visit onepercentfortheplanet.org.