In June of 1994,

Just two months later, Stefan met with Bill Seaman, Executive Director of the Lehigh County Conference of Churches, to talk about a possible collaboration. Although Bill was enthusiastic, he said it would take many months for his board to approve taking Community Bike Works under the LCCC umbrella. The following month, on September 13, 1994, the Conference of Churches voted to take us under their wing. The message and the mission were reaffirmed. 

And with that, Community Bike Works was off and running--well, riding! Here are some highlights throughout the years:

1995: The first Earn a Bike class takes place in the summer of 1995. In the early years, 65 young people a year participate in Earn a Bike, from our small rented storefront at 639 Turner Street. 

1996: Community Bike Works is awarded the Governor's Safety Award and the 1996 Allentown Human Relations Commission Award. 

1997: Community Bike Works hires its first Youth Apprentices. Two college students develop our first reading program, and the first students participate in cycling programs at the Velodrome. 

2000: In May of 2000 we purchase our much larger and better equipped facility on Madison Street, allowing us to serve more young people.

2002: A Community Bike Works "mobile unit" conducts classes in downtown Allentown and south Bethlehem. We are now engaging 100 students in Earn a Bike each year.

2007: We are now engaging 200 students in Earn a Bike each year.  

2011: We develop a partnership with KidsPeace, bringing Earn a Bike to young people at their Orefield campus. We are now engaging 300 students in Earn a Bike each year.  

2012: Founder and executive director Stefan Goslawski is honored by country music star Trace Adkins, who comes to Community Bike Works to film a segment for his show Great American Heroes. Check out the video below!

2013: We honor the contributions of founder and executive director Stefan Goslawski as he steps down from his long-time leadership role. Kim Schaffer steps into the role of executive director. 

2014: Thanks to support from the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, we create Junior Earn a Bike, to engage students in second and third grades in learning life lessons through bicycles. Junior Earn a Bike includes lessons from all our programs: Reading, Riding, and Wrenching. 

2015: Our 20th anniversary celebration! At this time, approximately 350 students are participating in Earn a Bike classes each year. 

2016: Community Bike Works expands, opening our second bike shop in Allentown's East Allentown neighborhood, with lead support from Bob and Sandy Lovett. We serve 150 students in Earn a Bike and Junior Earn a Bike out of our East Allentown shop, bringing the total number of students served in our core bike mentoring programs to more than 500 each year. 

2018: Following a trip to the Youth Bike Summit, we hold our first Girls' Night Earn a Bike class, taught by our women mechanics and mentors. 

2019: We celebrate 5,000 students in youth bike mentoring with a gathering of students, families, and supporters in Keck Park.

2019: In the summer of 2019, two Community Bike Works students officially join the Lehigh Valley Composite MTB, racing in mountain bike competitions across the state. 

2019: With support from The Century Fund, we kick off Gaining Traction, a one-on-one mentoring program to offer support to our most dedicated students in three areas: academic tutoring, social and emotional support, and basic needs. 

2020: We are excited to celebrate 25 years of Earn a Bike. As we look to engage a new generation in youth bike mentoring, we can't wait to see what comes next!

2020: We develop online versions of Earn a Bike and Junior Earn a Bike and find other new ways to meet the needs of students during the pandemic. Through our new Gaining Traction program, we provide more than $10,000 in direct support to families in need. 

2021: Our teen leaders are featured on the February/March cover of Bicycling magazine!

2021: Following an invitation from the City of Easton, we begin our first Easton Earn a Bike classes. Community Bike Works is now Lehigh Valley-wide!

2022: We take over operations of the East Side Food Pantry at our Keck Park location. We begin serving our East Allentown neighbors and provide service-learning opportunities for teens volunteering at the pantry. We also revamp our backyard community garden with 12 raised beds where we grow fresh produce to supplement our pantry and students snacks and lunches. 

2022: We establish the Youth Advisory Council to allow teen leaders the opportunity to have a say in the operations of Community Bike Works. 

2022: East Side Food Pantry Coordinator, Hana C, and Board Chair, Dolores S, participate in the inaugural cohort of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundations CORE Fellowship Program. This program is designed to bring Lehigh Valley nonprofit leaders together to center equity in themselves, their relationships, their organizations, and the nonprofit sector. 

2023: We revamp our Girls' Night Earn a Bike program to G.E.A.R.S.S. (Girls Evaluating and Redefining Social Standards) through support from Women United. We hold three All Girls Earn a Bike classes a year, as well as monthly Girls Circles, designed and led by students in the program. These Circles include clothing design classes, visits from Women in STEM professions, movie nights, bowling, and more!

2023: We launch our new program model, transitioning from a 12-week Earn a Bike class to a camp-model four week program. Students still complete the 24 hour Earn a Bike curriculum, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for four weeks. This allows Mondays and Fridays to be available for extended Drop-ins, bike rides, and Youth Leadership. 

2023: Bike Works students ride a record 2,670 miles in the summer!

2023: Our 7th Annual Mileage Challenge (formerly Spin-a-thon) raises $100,000 to support youth bike mentoring in the Lehigh Valley!

2024: Community Bike Works Youth Leaders, staff, and community members plan and host the National Youth Bike Summit. Youth and mentors from across the country came together to connect with each other over 3 days of workshops, rides, and panels with a theme of “Youth Lead the Way”. 

2024: Youth Projects Coordinator and former Bike Works student Avery D. is recognized as the League of American Bicyclists “Emerging Leader of the Year" for his work planning the National Youth Bike Summit. 

2024: Executive Director Kim Schaffer was selected as one of Lehigh Valley Style's Influential Women of the Year.