Bike and Build Kicks off 2006 Cross Country Trip
June 17, 2006: (Photos) On Saturday, a group of about 30 young adults dipped their bicycles in the Piscataqua River at Prescott Park. At the end of August, this same group will dip these same bikes into the ocean in Vancouver, B.C. 
From now until then, they will ride their bikes across the country, while helping to build homes and raise money for Habitat for Humanity, and raise awareness for the need for affordable housing. This amazing team is from a non-profit organization called Bike and Build, and they are prepared to give all they've got for two months to address the nation's affordable housing crisis.
Bike and Build organized five teams this year, all of similar size and all riding from coast to coast to raise money. Each rider is required to raise $4,000 to help cover trip costs, however, with the help of local churches and Habitat for Humanity Affiliates, they can defray these costs through donated housing and food, leaving more money to go directly to their cause.
With the help of the Southeast NH Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, the team leaders were able to coordinate free housing, showers and meals for their entire stay here in Portsmouth. They arrived in Portsmouth on Thursday at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Newington for their orientation - two days chock full of safety and bike repair lessons, policies, procedures and other training. 
During their stay, meals were provided to them through preparation and donations from the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, local donors, Shaw's Supermarkets and the Flatbread Pizza Company of downtown Portsmouth. The Seacoast YMCA was good enough to offer them use of their showers, and Bicycle Bob on Route 1 in Portsmouth gave generously of his time and knowledge for the group of bicyclists.
Based in New York City, Bike & Build is a non-profit organization that encourages young adults to address the country’s affordable housing crisis through organizing cross-country bicycle trips. Trip participants support the affordable housing cause through fundraising and building efforts. Since 2001, Bike & Build has contributed $442,804 to housing groups to fund projects planned and executed by young adults in the US, and motivated over 200 young adult volunteers. For more information, visit www.bikeandbuild.org, or call (718) 599-5925. At that site, you can also follow the team's trip through their posted journal. This team is the "Northern US" team.
Based in downtown Portsmouth, the Southeast NH Habitat for Humanity has built twelve homes since it was founded in 1990. They are planning to build two homes this year, and hope to build two more next year, at the Berry Court location in Farmington. Site development for the first home starts this Monday. The local affiliate services Portsmouth, Newington and all of Strafford County. With the exception of a part-time Executive Director, the organization is completely fueled by volunteers. For more information on the organization's work, how to volunteer or to make a donation, you can visit the website at www.senhhabitat.org, email senhhabitat.org or call (603) 433-9555.