This summer, B&B’s mid-summer East Coast ride will run from Maine’s Acadia national park to New York City. Over the course of 3 weeks and 830 miles, riders will weave in and out of some of the Northeast’s VIPs. With build days in island towns like Nantucket in addition to major metropolises Portland and NYC, riders will traverse both urban and rural landscapes and experience the mutable affordable housing issue that parallels the varied terrain.
Bike & Build is a 501(c)(3) independent nonprofit organization. We work with young adults to produce cross-country and regional fundraising cycling trips, open to participants ages 18-26. The proceeds from our events are disbursed to affordable housing organizations to underwrite projects chiefly planned and executed by young adults in this age group. Check out our main website @ bikeandbuild.org for more info.
The fundraising requirement is $2250 and preference will be given to applicants who can ride for the entire 3 weeks. However, to make the ride accessible to those with commitments outside of spandex, the trip will be broken up into 1 week and 2 week sessions. Non alumni can sign up for week 1 (Bucks Port to Salem) or ride the full 3 weeks. Alumni have the option to join the trip in Salem and ride the final 2 weeks to NYC. The fundraising requirement for week 1 is $750 and the 2 week option is $1500.
Coastal drift riders will have a donation program similar to our cross country model. The proceeds will be donated in four ways:
Boasting more coastline than California, Maine provides some of the most beautiful roads in the Northeast and riders will spend the majority of this week meandering along its shores. Starting in Bucks Port in the heart of Acadia National Park, riders will head south through a terrain dominated by lighthouses, beaches, and small coastal towns. Stopping in Portland for their first build, riders continue along the coast to historic Portsmouth and on to their second Proctor-ed build in Salem.
Week 2 provides the first introduction to a seaboard metropolitan hub, as riders tackle the streets of Boston enroute to Plymouth. Ever heard of it, America? Next up are some of the Coast’s most recognizable names- Cape Cod and Nantucket- the latter serving as the site for the route’s third build day. Three more of the thirteen originals- Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York- are to follow and will be capped by a triumphant, final ride into New York City.
Bike & Build left such an impact on my life, who I am, and who I want to become and touch in my life. It was such a beautiful experience that I will always cherish.
Want to get in on this action?
Too busy this year for Bike & Build? Give us your info, and we'll contact you when next summer's registration opens.
Eat. Sleep. Bike. Build.
In 2016, Bike & Build will again offer scholarships to riders from at-risk backgrounds in Philadelphia to support their participation in Coastal Drift.
Thank you for supporting our riders! The Bike & Build Scholarship increases access to volunteer service opportunities for young adults from underserved backgrounds in Philadelphia. Recipients will be enrolled in Coastal Drift, Bike & Build's summer regional ride in New England in 2016. For three weeks, riders will pedal as part of a team of 30 young adults. They will travel between multiple affordable housing organizations in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, raising money and awareness to support these nonprofits. The scholarship is a life-changing opportunity for community engagement for those who may not otherwise have the chance to participate in such an event. Riders will develop skills in teamwork, leadership, and perseverance. This accomplishment will further engage scholarship recipients in service for many years beyond the completion of the trip. Bike & Build opens new doors to these young adults!
Donations will support riders’ required fundraising, the purchase of a bike, necessary cycling gear, and other expenses incurred during the program. After recipients are selected, riders will complete training miles, sweat equity build hours, and other preparations with the support of the Bike & Build Board, staff, sponsors, and community volunteers.
Please see our sponsorship packet (pdf, 1.5mb) to learn more about the success of last year’s scholarship program, the benefits of partnering with Bike & Build, and how to contribute. We appreciate your support!
If you would like to donate now, click below:
You can also donate by check payable to “Bike & Build.” Write “Scholarship” in the memo. Checks can be mailed to Bike & Build – 6153 Ridge Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19128.
Each year, Bike & Build solicits feedback from alumni. One of the most common suggestions is that we expand our outreach to young adults who might not have the resources or network to participate in B&B. Alums, the Bike & Build Scholarship was a direct result of your feedback. You played in a huge role in 2014, fundraising enough to provide one of our scholarship recipients with a bike to complete The Coastal Drift. This year, we are aiming for the Bike & Build network to fund a full scholarship!
We invite you to read more (pdf, 450kb) about the success of last year’s scholarship program the benefits of partnering with Bike & Build, and how to contribute. We appreciate your support!
If you would like to donate now, click below:
You can also donate by check payable to “Bike & Build.” Write “Scholarship” in the memo. Checks can be mailed to Bike & Build – 6153 Ridge Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19128.
This summer, Bike & Build will grant a limited number of scholarships to Coastal Drift riders on the basis of need who demonstrate Bike & Build’s values: young adults with a passion for adventure and a commitment to making their community a better place. The scholarships will engage Philadelphia young adults from underserved backgrounds who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in B&B. Learn more here (pdf, 1.2mb).
Fill out the application (.docx, 740kb) and return to justin@bikeandbuild.org.