In a mission to help produce long-distance, fund-raising bicycling trips to contribute to affordable housing in 32 states, 32 students from Providence, R.I. will make a stop in Hillsboro later this week as a rest stop on their way to San Francisco.
The students are part of Bike and Build, an independent, non-profit organization, which although has no formal affiliation with Habitat for Humanity International, works closely with the group by providing extra pairs of hands to help build homes for families in need.
The students will be arriving in Hillsboro on Friday, June 16 between noon-5 p.m. and will stay as guests at the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church. There, the public is invited to meet the cyclists at 6:30 p.m., where they will also get the chance to hear about the needs for affordable housing across the nation and learn about local endeavors by the Highland County Habitat for Humanity chapter.
In order to take part in the trip, each participant was required to raise $4,000 in donations to Bike and Build and also agreed to help in building homes during biking breaks. After leaving Hillsboro, the cyclists will pedal their way to Cincinnati where they will spend their day working on a Habitat home. In all, the group will participate in helping to build approximately eight houses along the way.
Over the three years that Bike and Build has been in existence, the organization has contributed $442,804 to housing groups to fund projects planned and executed by young adults. The group states on its Web site (www.bikeandbuild.org) that they hope to donate an additional $300,000 in the summer of 2006.
All the proceeds from this fund raiser will go towards funding a house in Providence, R.I., with the remaining donations set to be distributed to other affordable housing groups throughout the nation.
Executive director of the Highland County Habitat for Humanity Will Humphrey was looking forward to the group’s arrival into the city and said that the growing need for affordable housing in the county and country made it all the more important that the awareness get out to the public.
“It’s been really exciting to see the students getting involved with Habitat for Humanity and Bike and Build because missions like this create this air of urgency and exposure and good feelings,” Humphrey said. “The cause for these two organizations is very important and because all of these efforts is to rid the world of poverty housing, it’s a great cause. There are a lot of folks in need and these two organizations support the growth and the drive of helping folks out.”
The Highland County Habitat for Humanity chapter was formed in 2000 and has since been able to build two houses in the county. Currently, the local chapter is building a third home in Greenfield for a family that they were introduced to in May. The home is one-story, 1,050 square feet and complete with three bedrooms and one bathroom.
“It’s a simple, decent house which is a statement that is part of our motto of building simple, decent, affordable homes,” Humphrey said.
Humphrey added that the the local chapter is currently looking for volunteers for the construction of the home or to help out in other ways, including donations or supplying needed necessities.
Anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about the county’s local chapter is encouraged to call (937) 393-8376, e-mail Humphrey at wd_humphrey@yahoo.com or visit the Web site at local.habitat.org/highlandcountyohio.
