On June 11, 30 young adults with Bike & Build, a national nonprofit committed to affordable housing, are bicycling into Boothbay Harbor on their journey across the Eastern Seaboard. The cyclists travel 830 miles from Bar Harbor to New York City in order to raise money and awareness for affordable housing causes.

“We are deeply proud of our riders, who are so committed to the affordable housing cause that they are willing to raise much-needed funds and spend a large part of their summer biking to raise awareness,” said Justin Villere, Bike & Build’s director of operations and outreach. “Bike & Build provides the opportunity, but it is the riders who make the lasting impact in so many communities.”

Over three weeks, the group will pedal an average of 65 miles per day. Along the way, the riders will participate in volunteer build days with five different local housing nonprofits to help build affordable homes for families in need. Riders will build in Portland, Salem, Nantucket, New Haven and New York City. They will also advocate for the need for affordable homes for all Americans in the many host communities and pass-through towns along the way.

Riders must raise at least $2,250 to support the trip. Much of that money is then donated to affordable housing organizations. The 2015 Coastal Drift team aims to donate $50,000 to the cause. To support the Coastal Drift trip, visit their fundraising page at www.bikeandbuild.org/donate. You can also mail a check to Bike & Build.

Bike & Build is known for the eight cross-country trips it organizes each summer and Coastal Drift is one of two Bike & Build’s regional, mid-summer rides. In total, roughly 300 18-to-28 year old riders will see and experience first-hand the affordable housing need in this country. In addition to volunteering with construction efforts at affordable housing sites, riders also meet with local officials and community members to discuss affordable housing issues. Riders will sleep in local churches, community centers, and schools, and will rely on the generosity of hundreds of community members for food, showers and other necessities. When the trip is complete, many Bike & Builders have gone on to continue their commitment to service through their career choices or further volunteering.

Based in Philadelphia, Bike & Build is a nonprofit organization that encourages young adults to address the country’s affordable housing crisis through organized bicycle trips. Trip participants support the affordable housing cause by fundraising and building efforts. Since its founding in 2003, Bike & Build has motivated over 2,600 young adult volunteers and contributed over $5.1 million and 185,000 volunteer hours 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.