Bike & Build: Biking for the Cause of Affordable Housing
Posted by Charity Watcher on Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Founded in 2002, Bike & Build is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting various affordable housing charities in building more houses for eligible recipients. By organizing cross-country cycling trips for young adults, usually in the 18 to 25 age bracket, it raises funds for the affordable housing cause in the country. Since its inception, it has contributed over $4.5 million to various charities as well as directly involved more than 2,000 young adults in its activities.
Participants in Bike & Build’s cross-country cycling activities may or may not have volunteering and/or cycling experience, just the willingness to bike for a cause, a relatively healthy body, and the money to defray the costs. In recent years, each rider was required to raise $4,500 before starting on the bike run with part used for trip operations and part for donations to affordable housing organizations. Each cross-country bike run can have up to 34 participants with 4 designated leaders while the riders spend 8-11 weeks on the road; riders spend 8-16 days building houses along the route.
Build & Bike provides for the riders’ bikes although each rider can also provide for his own; the riders, furthermore, can keep their Build & Bike’s bicycles after completing the trip. Riders are also required to complete at least 10 hours working with selected affordable housing groups (i.e., sweat equity) before each trip as well as train (i.e., ride for at least 500 miles) before the summer run begins.
Build & Bike may also collect additional donations en route. The organization can choose to donate the funds raised in two ways, namely: first, donate the money to specific third-party organizations; and second, give the money on a grant system wherein affordable housing-related groups can apply for grants through the organization. Under the grant system, the riders themselves can vote on the groups that will receive the grant including the allocations.
Participants in Bike & Build’s cross-country cycling activities may or may not have volunteering and/or cycling experience, just the willingness to bike for a cause, a relatively healthy body, and the money to defray the costs. In recent years, each rider was required to raise $4,500 before starting on the bike run with part used for trip operations and part for donations to affordable housing organizations. Each cross-country bike run can have up to 34 participants with 4 designated leaders while the riders spend 8-11 weeks on the road; riders spend 8-16 days building houses along the route.
Build & Bike provides for the riders’ bikes although each rider can also provide for his own; the riders, furthermore, can keep their Build & Bike’s bicycles after completing the trip. Riders are also required to complete at least 10 hours working with selected affordable housing groups (i.e., sweat equity) before each trip as well as train (i.e., ride for at least 500 miles) before the summer run begins.
Build & Bike may also collect additional donations en route. The organization can choose to donate the funds raised in two ways, namely: first, donate the money to specific third-party organizations; and second, give the money on a grant system wherein affordable housing-related groups can apply for grants through the organization. Under the grant system, the riders themselves can vote on the groups that will receive the grant including the allocations.
