Holiday Giving Guide

Since the dawn of time, some unexplainable magic has compelled the reindeer that guide Santa's sleigh to embark on an impossible overnight journey each December. A similar magic powers each bicycle journey we take throughout the year in Philadelphia, though its source is less mysterious. Yeah, we'd get down the road, our chains squeaking, our wheels wobbling, and our gears grinding, just fine without that magic. But an extraordinary degree of artistry, advocacy, coaching, empowering, giving, maintaining, and organizing from a passionate corps of our cycling neighbors is the magic that makes our riding here truly special.

The end of each year is marked by reflection and giving. My goal is that this Holiday Giving Guide will help us to reflect on the outsized impact of keeping our dollars local, the outsized impact the following organizations have on our cultural vitality, and the outsized return on investment earned by supporting those that make Philly cycling the best.

If you can, please support a cause that resonates with you. Thank you for supporting and I wish you all a happy holiday season and New Year.

Agile Rascal Theatre

Agile Rascal Theatre utilizes the creative potential of the bicycle to create innovative theatrical works. 'Ghost Ride' — about the life and afterlife of a Philly messenger — was our first project here.
- Dara Silverman

Donate: https://www.agilerascaltheatre.com/support
or Venmo: @agilerascaltheatre
Read more about Agile Rascal on The Trellis.

Belmont Plateau Trail Alliance

Belmont Plateau Trails Alliance works in cooperation with Phila. Parks & Rec and the Fairmount Park Conservancy to manage the Belmont trail system. Weekly bike races have been held there during spring and summer since 1989.

Contact: belmont.trails@gmail.com
Read more about Belmont Plateau Trail Alliance on The Trellis.

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Through advocacy and education, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia leads the movement to make every bicycle ride safe, to empower youth and adults to ride, and to foster a ridership that reflects the diversity of the region.

This year, that looked like the signing of the “Get Out the Bike Lane” bill; successfully advocating for a $153 million flex of funding to stave off SEPTA’s January service cuts & fare hikes; growing statewide support for parking-protected bike lane legislation; teaching nearly 200 adults to ride for the first time; and connecting with more than 1,500 cyclists through their neighborhood-based bike safety education programs.

If you also believe that safe mobility is an integral part of thriving communities, consider giving a year-end gift – and join the movement to transform Greater Philadelphia into a region where biking, walking, and public transit are the prioritized ways to get around.
-Sonja Bontrager

Donate: https://give.bicyclecoalition.org/campaign/589345/donate
Read more about Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia on The Trellis.

Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling

The Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling (BCYC) program empowers Philadelphia’s youth by promoting leadership, confidence, and healthy habits through cycling. In 2024, BCYC engaged over 200 youth across 10 partner sites, launched an exciting mountain biking program, and hosted new community events like Hustle N’ Ride and the Roll Wit It Gran Fondo.

Every ride helps youth develop teamwork and lifelong skills that transcend the bike. Your support helps us offer our programming for free and keeps bikes maintained, funds new opportunities, and ensures we can reach our youth.
Whether you’re discovering BCYC for the first time or have been a long-time supporter, you can make a difference. This holiday season, invest in the future of Philly’s cycling community.

Donate to BCYC and help our Philly youth keep rolling toward success!
-Lana Harshaw

Donate: https://bicyclecoalition.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/youthcycling

Bike MS

Named one of USA Today’s 10 Best Road Cycling Events, join a community of riders dedicated to changing the world for people living with Multiple Sclerosis by participating in Bike MS: City to Shore on September 27 & 28, 2025. Participants of all cycling abilities can choose from various route options on this fully supported ride from Cherry Hill, NJ to Ocean City, NJ. Take in the blueberry fields of Hammonton and the Pinelands National Reserve before rolling into "America’s Greatest Family Resort," Ocean City. Registration opens February 1!

Our 2025 website and registration will launch February 1, but for now here is our website from 2024: Bike MS: City to Shore. A lot of the information will be very similar.
-Patricia Templeton

Black Girl Joy Bike Ride

Black Girl Joy Bike Ride is a bi-weekly community bike ride for Black Women that seeks to create intentional spaces and amplifies Black Women's voices and visibility around cycling. Black Gril Joy Bike Ride uses Indego, a bike share program that is at no-cost for the attendees in the program, as this cuts out a huge barrier of accessibility to having a bike. Part of Black Girl Joy Bike Ride's mission is to make cycling more accessible to Black Women, as a way to promote joy, self-care, and a sense of community.
- Iresha Picot

Donate: https://apps.bikeaction.org/campaigns/bgjr-donate/

East Coast Greenway Alliance

In greater Philadelphia and beyond, the East Coast Greenway welcomes more than 50 million visits a year by people walking, running, riding and rolling. Whether you are already enjoying the Greenway or looking forward to new adventures in 2025, we invite you to join us and get moving!

Our team at the East Coast Greenway Alliance is working tirelessly to expand and enhance the Greenway. Your support is vital to keep transformational progress moving forward and brings us closer to completing the East Coast Greenway.
- East Coast Greenway Alliance

Donate: https://support.greenway.org/a/donation
Read more about East Coast Greenway on The Trellis.

Hilly Philly

Hilly Philly is a fundraiser and memorial ride dedicated to supporting research initiatives and people directly affected by cancer. Starting in 2014 we celebrated 10 years this past event. As long as cancer is affecting Philadelphia we will hold Hilly Philly on the first Saturday in August. Mark your calendar for 8/2/2025!!
- Gary Brown

Donate: https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?fr_id=109331&pg=personal&px=25902710

Independence Youth Cycling

At Independence Youth Cycling, we’re passionate about getting kids and families on bikes. Our programs include organized teams that foster teamwork and confidence, a loaner bike and equipment fleet to ensure accessibility for all, and teams of coaches and volunteers who inspire and guide riders of all skill levels. Through advocacy and outreach with our communities, we create opportunities for exploration and connection. Join us in transforming lives and building community—one ride at a time.

The photo is from our June 1 participation in Riverfront North's Fish and Trail Fest in Philadelphia along the Delaware River waterfront.
-John Raisch

Donate: https://independenceyouthcycling.org/make-a-donation/
Read more about Independence Youth Cycling on The Trellis.

Little Bellas

The Little Bellas is a mountain bike organization, whose goal is to help young women reach their fullest potential. We aim to create a community to empower women through cycling, accent the importance of goals and a healthy lifestyle, and emphasize a positive female bond. While this program is centered around creating a female camaraderie on bikes, it is most importantly about having fun in a constructive environment.

The Philadelphia chapter of Little Bellas has been running programming since 2016.  Most recently running two 5-week sessions with 40 participants, 5 junior mentors and 15 adult mentors for each session.  If you've been to Belmont on a Sunday afternoon when Little Bellas is running, you can't miss the groups out riding in the blue and purple colors of Little Bellas.  You can donate directly to Little Bellas, volunteer to mentor, or even apply to be the next Philadelphia chapter lead.  Make a difference to get more girls on bikes!  Reach out to the founder of the Philadelphia chapter, Caitlin Thompson, with questions.
-Caitlin Thompson

Donate: https://littlebellas.org/giving-day/

Neighborhood Bike Works

As the year ends, we invite you to join us in transforming lives through the power of bikes. At Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW), youth and adults discover new passions, build life skills, and grow into confident leaders—all through riding and repairing bikes.

This year, NBW engaged 174 youth—a 16% increase from last year—and doubled the percentage of girls in our programs to 32%. Highlights include 98 youth earning bikes and learning maintenance (a 51% increase), 43 earning paychecks in leadership roles, and collectively riding 5,263 miles across 139 outdoor rides.

Through our Youth Bike Education and Empowerment Program (YBEEP), participants progress from basic bike repair to paid roles and leadership opportunities, gaining technical skills, resilience, and confidence to create change.

Your support makes these transformative experiences possible. Visit neighborhoodbikeworks.org to give today and help empower more young people to thrive—on and off a bike.
- Jessica Day West

Donate: https://neighborhoodbikeworks.org/donate-bikes-gear

Philly Bike Action!

Philly Bike Action is a grassroots, all-volunteer bicycle advocacy organization that believes safety for all is best achieved by well-designed streets and physically separated infrastructure. We organize at the hyper-local level to improve the experience of riding a bike in Philadelphia.
-Jessie Amadio

Donate: https://apps.bikeaction.org/donate/
Read more about Philly Bike Action! on The Trellis. Part 1 & Part 2.

Philly Devo

Philly Devo is a community for cyclists of marginalized genders including trans men, trans women, cis women, and non-binary riders. Through our rider development programs in road, mountain, and gravel biking, Philly Devo is committed to empowering underrepresented cyclists by creating an accessible and welcoming introduction to cycling as a sport. Philly Devo aims to create more racial and gender diversity in the Philadelphia cycling scene and diversify ridership at races & bike events in the region by supporting an emerging base of riders through peer coaching, skills instruction and community building. We serve riders who do not see themselves well represented in mainstream cycling spaces and are seeking a welcoming, fun and supportive community where they feel empowered to push themselves to try new and challenging things on the bike. 
- Kate Sparacio

Donate: https://bicyclecoalition.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/phillydevo
Read more about Philly Devo on The Trellis.

Philly Pumptrack

The Philly Pumptrack was founded in 2014 as a family-friendly local park that encourages camaraderie, skill development, and of course, fun! There are two tracks, an oval beginner track, and the larger track with multiple line choices.

The Philly Pumptrack relies on volunteers and donations from members of the community. Donations ensure our volunteers can continue to maintain the track and bikes, keeping everything running smoothly.
-Philly Pumptrack

Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/phillypumptrack
Read more about Philly Pumptrack on The Trellis.

Pennsylvania Center for Adaptive Sports

Administered from its office on Boathouse Row in Philadelphia, PCAS currently operates 13 sport-and-wellness programs year-round, with a focus on building inclusive communities with barrier-free and supportive settings.

Our programs help participants build and maintain strength and function, improve emotional health, and develop lifelong friendships through engagement in sports and recreation in the community.

For all our participants, we provide equipment, venues, instruction, training, a team of peers and a capable group of encouraging volunteers. We offer children and adults a place where they can explore their abilities.
-Pennsylvania Center for Adaptive Sports

Donate: https://centeronline.com/donate
Read more about Pennsylvania Center for Adaptive Sports on The Trellis.

PMA Bike Ride

The Pma bike ride is a pizza party for the hungry on the street. We have four events minimum a month. The first Sunday of the month we go to west Philly and south Philly, the last Saturday of the month we go to Kensington and cc. We ride to different stops where there are hungry people and we give them pizza. We also give out socks and blankets. We will accept any coats jackets that are in good condition and give them directly to someone in need. We will also of course accept money. We spent over $400 just on pizza on Thanksgiving and over $700 on blankets and socks recently. Sharing our social media helps as well.

You can come volunteer with us as well best if you have a bike but there are spots you could meet and help without a bike. Often I don’t have help and often funding isn’t there. It is a great feeling when you help someone in need, yesterday I helped someone and they cried and hugged me.
-Joe Cox

Donate: http://www.thepmabikeride.com/give-to-the-pma-bike-ride.html
Read more about PMA Bike Ride on The Trellis.

RAR Philly

RAR (Radical Adventure Riders) Philly is a bike community that centers gender inclusivity and equity in cycling, particularly adventure cycling. We organize rides and events for FTWNB (femme, trans, women, non-binary) folks, such as community rides, overnight bikepacking rides, and workshops. This year we created the AG Fund in honor of our friend and fellow organizer Andrea Gonzalez who was killed on a RAR ride in 2023. AG Fund covers various costs of bike events for BIPOC FTWNB folks to decrease financial barriers and increase inclusivity. We hope to expand what the AG Fund can cover in the new year to get more folks on bikes and have new bike experiences.
-RAR Philly

Donate: https://ko-fi.com/rarphiladelphia