BICAS is proud to announce that we have been selected as a recipient of the Food Conspiracy’s Cooperative Community Fund. The CCF is one of 29 local Cooperative Community Funds in the country, all of which are sponsored by the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation (TPCF). Every year the Food Conspiracy invests several thousand dollars into the CCF, paired with donations made by co-op members and shoppers. In march of 2018 co-op members selected three local non-profits to receive the earned interest from the CCF. We are thrilled that the Tucson community of co-op members have chosen us alongside two other local non-profits, Local First Arizona for their Fuerza Local Program in South Tucson and the Northern Jaguar Project.
As you may well know BICAS is a community bicycle recycling and education center. Through advocacy and bicycle salvage, our mission is to participate in affordable bicycle transportation, education, and creative recycling with the Tucson community. For 28 years we have been promoting education, empowerment, art, and a healthy environment while providing skills and opportunity for those in need, particularly low-income persons and youth. Through donations and community support BICAS provides the following to those who might otherwise not have the opportunity: an Earn-A-Bike Program, Youth Ride Clubs, WorkTrade and Community Service opportunities, Bicycle Repair and Community Tools. Since our founding, we have trained thousands of youth and adults in the trade of bicycle repair, maintenance and safety, and have restored thousands of bicycles, diverting them from the waste stream. Over 5,100 hours of work-trade are logged annually and traded for bicycles and services, on average 250 bikes are earned per year. This year we brought back our Youth Earn-A-Bike program, offering more opportunities for local youth while promoting engagement and in-depth learning. We believe in the bicycle as accessible transportation for all and a tool for self-empowerment and social justice.
We appreciate the Food Conspiracy co-op and the CCF for sharing our values and commitment to strong and healthy community. TPCF/CCF invests more funding to cooperative development organizations (CDO’s) in the US than any other cooperative organization. TPCF/CCF assets are financing the development of consumer, worker and housing cooperatives and land trusts throughout the US. The more CCFs there are the more donations to community groups at the local level and the more funds for cooperative development nationally. You can learn more about the TPCF at www.community.coop , Tucson local Food Conspiracy at www.foodconspiracy.coop, and BICAS at www.bicas.org.
Thank you Tucson for your support!
Peace, Love, and Bicycle Grease,
BICAS