
Volunteer with Bikes Not Bombs!
Bikes Not Bombs simply couldn't function without our tremendous volunteer support. There are many ways to get involved:
- Register for Volunteer Night, held on Wednesday evenings from 6-9 PM.
- Apply to be a Volunteer Apprentice and assist with Bikes Not Bombs' key operations at our Hub (administrative offices) and Bike Shop & Training Center. Shifts are available Monday through Saturday.
- Help out at a special event, such as a container loading or bike drive.
If you are volunteering on site, please wear clothing that you don't mind getting dirty; closed-toed footwear is required to ensure the safety of all program participants.
Volunteer Night runs from 7:00-9:00 PM on Wednesday evenings. Any schedule changes will be posted on our website.
Spots are guaranteed for up to 10 registrants.
Attending
- Pre-registration is required. Click here to do so.
- All skill-levels and ages are welcome! Youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Try to wear clothes that can get dirty. Closed-toed footwear is required to ensure the safety of all program participants.
- Occasionally, Volunteer Night will be canceled due to weather or a holiday. Such cancelations will appear in our events list on the home page.
The work
Work may include the following common tasks:
- "Flattening" bikes -- turning the handle bars sideways and the pedals inside-out so that the bikes fit easily into a shipping container to send overseas in our international programs.
- "Stripping" bikes -- taking all the parts off of a frame (needs to be done for bikes that have some broken pieces).
- Sorting parts
- Building up bikes
- General cleaning, housekeeping, and other tasks!
A volunteer coordinator will show you what to do, and no experience is required.
Bringing a group
Please schedule groups with us at least 2 weeks in advance. Contact Gary Chin at gary@bikesnotbombs.org.
Due to our limited capacity, not all group volunteering requests can be accommodated, and we can only accommodate groups of 5 or fewer people.
Bikes Not Bombs offers six unique volunteer apprenticeship opportunities. Please click on each title to view the corresponding volunteer job description.
- Admin & Outreach Apprentice - Provide general administrative support, engage the cycling and social justice community to grow our base of supporters.
- Bike Recycling Apprentice - Process bicycles and various parts for international shipping and other bike distribution programs.
- Bike School Apprentice - Directly support the Bike School Coordinator and Youth Apprentices with the development and implementation of bicycle education curriculum (Completion of a previous Bike School program is required. Applicants must be able to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information [CORI] check.)
- Community Organizer Apprentice - Support Bikes Not Bombs' youth organizing and advocacy efforts (BOCA).
- Mechanic Apprentice - Build up recycled and refurbished bicycles for sale and for use in our distribution and education programs
- Sales Apprentice - Greet and assist customers, organize special orders, facilitate bike donation intake, inventory management and organization.
How to apply:
- Submit your interest on the Volunteer Interest Form to indicate your preferences and availability
- Submit the Volunteer Application and your resume (if available) indicating the specific role/s you're interested in and other required information/permissions. The application form will be sent to you by a member of BNB staff.
After receiving both your Volunteer Interest Form and the Volunteer Application, we will hold a phone interview to discuss your application and placement.
We are recruiting volunteers for our 36th Annual Bike-A-Thon on September 10th, 2023. Volunteer roles include: assisting with our valet bike parking, setting up the event materials in Stony Brook, or staffing the rest stops along our routes!