Bike & Build is a cross-country bike ride where college students travel the country building houses with Habitat for Humanity. A group of 32 students is stopping in Kansas City this week, on their way from Virginia to Oregon.  Tuesday evening the public is invited to hear about their ride and mission. Bike & Build is being hosted in Kansas City by Family Bicycles, The Wheel Cyclery, and the city’s BikeKC program.

Habitat for Humanity Bike & Build
Tuesday, June 16th – 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
All Souls Unitarian Church, 4501 Walnut Street,  Kansas City, MO
(in the Southmoreland neighborhood, one block east of 45th and Main Streets)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News Release Contact:
June 15^th, 2009 Barbara Joseph

631.807.8180
bjoseph@bikeandbuild.org
www.bikeandbuild.org

Young Cyclists Roll Through Kansas City, MO to Assist with Affordable Housing Efforts

Today, thirty young adults with Bike & Build Inc., a national non-profit committed to affordable housing, are bicycling into Kansas City on their journey across the United States. The cyclists travel from Virginia Beach, VA to Cannon Beach, OR in order to raise money and awareness for affordable housing causes.

“We are deeply proud that Bike & Build has 250 riders this year who are so committed to the affordable housing cause that they are willing to raise much-needed funds and spend two months of their summer biking across this amazing country,” said Bike & Build Executive Director Rosemary DiRita. “Bike & Build provides the opportunity; it is the riders who make the impact on housing issues through our cycling trips.”

The group will be traveling for more than 10 weeks and will help to build affordable housing in 8 locations, including Kansas City, MO and Denver, CO. In order to participate in the trip, each rider raised at least $4,000 to help fund the trip costs and affordable housing efforts nationwide.

Bike & Build offers eight cross-country biking trips each summer. The 18 to 25 year old riders see and experience first-hand the affordable housing need in this country. They stop in towns along their route and participate in construction efforts at affordable housing sites that are in progress. The riders also meet with local officials and community members to discuss affordable housing issues.

Based in Philadelphia, Bike & Build is a non-profit organization that encourages young adults to address the country’s affordable housing crisis through organizing bicycle trips. Trip participants support the affordable housing cause by fundraising and building efforts. Since 2003, Bike & Build has motivated over 750 young adult volunteers and contributed over $1.6 million to housing groups such as Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together to fund projects in the United States. For more information, visit www.bikeandbuild.org or call (267) 331-8488.