Neighborhood Bike Works’ Earn-a-Bike Education Cause has been selected as one of 100 finalists in the Cause an Effect program on Facebook and has a chance to win one of the $25,000 grants being awarded by State Farm through the program. From April 27 through May 17, any Facebook user can vote up to 10 times per day for Earn-a-Bike Education on the State Farm Facebook page.

The 40 Causes that receive the most votes will be announced on May 22, and a $25,000 grant will be awarded to the winners.

Neighborhood Bike Works has been headquartered in the basement of St. Mary’s Church on 40th and Locust for the past 13 years. The organization seeks to increase opportunities for urban youth in underserved neighborhoods in greater Philadelphia by offering educational, recreational, and career-building opportunities through bicycling. Neighborhood Bike Works also promotes cycling as a healthy, affordable, environment-friendly form of transportation.

If funded, “Earn-a-Bike Education” would allow Neighborhood Bike Works to offer five 8-week after-school Earn-a-Bike classes in the area, providing a total of 60 youth with free, enriching programming.

A few scholarships still remain for the Neighborhood Bike Works summer cycling camp. Half of camp spots go to scholarship recipients ages 8-12.

Based out of the Neighborhood Bike Works shop at 3916 Locust Walk behind the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, the summer camp offers kids the chance to rebuild a bike and earn a bike, helmet and lock over a two-week session. The camp also includes rides and field trips and instruction on safe cycling, nutrition and healthy lifestyles.

The camp, now in its ninth year, runs Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and there are four two-week sessions available. The sessions begin on July 5, July 18, August 1 and August 15. Only scholarships slots remain for all camp sessions. The fees for campers normally run $425 to $450 per session.

A half-day session is also available at the North Philly Neighborhood Bike Works shop.

For more information go to the Neighborhood Bike Works website or call Summer Camp Director Daniel Helms at 215-386-0316. His e-mail is dan – at – neighborhoodbikeworks.org.