Bike and Build raises awareness for affordable housing

Bryanna Folks, sophomore clinical neuroscience, criminology and sociology major at Virginia Tech, is preparing for “Bike and Build,” a cross-country bicycle trip spanning 4,000 miles. The purpose of the trip is to build and advocate for affordable housing.

Throughout the trip, Folks and the team will build alongside Habitat for Humanity. They will begin house construction projects, present their mission to local communities and advocate for affordable housing in areas needing development from late May until August.

Folks’ route will begin in her home state of Virginia and will conclude in Oregon. According to Folks, the group is expecting up to 30 team members to travel over the course of two months; however, the team is still recruiting cyclists to join the trip. The team members will bike approximately 70 miles a day to complete the trip, and a van will follow the team to assist members with gear or health needs.

“I like what it's advocating for, because it's a really important issue,” said Folks. “I want to try this because it's going to push me mentally and physically, and I'm actually going to make a difference in the world.” 

Bike and Build is not Folks’ first service venture. Folks spent five years serving her community through AmeriCorp and Emergency Medical Services, and she recently served with AmeriCorp in the Ocoee Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest region.

Through AmeriCorp, Folks partnered with the US Forest Service, participating in a 10-month program of responding to wildfires and protecting endangered species. Folks said these experiences have shown her the necessity of affordable housing across the country. 

“I just love hearing people's stories, like what they've overcome in their life, and knowing that this is going to help them a lot to achieve what they want in the next step of their life,” said Folks.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, Folks believes her experiences as a student and as an AmeriCorp member transformed her perspective. 

“I’m putting myself in a different position physically and mentally,” said Folks. “I'm going [to] different places all across the country. I'm learning more, meeting people, getting new perspectives on life, and it's just been really eye-opening.” 

Working for EMS, Folks saw firsthand the impact of homelessness on the medical and psychiatric care industry. Folks believes the lack of security contributes to the cycle of being in and out of hospitals. 

“It's [difficult] to not have a place of your own – you need that safe space to come back to that's always going to be [there], it's that secure,” said Folks. “I want other people to have that opportunity as well, and I can do a small part to contribute to that. I want to do that.”

While the Bike and Build team addresses the need for housing development nationally, Paul Dellinger, executive director of Cleveland Housing Authority, reveals the severity of these problems in the Cleveland community. 

“There is significant demand and need for affordable housing, beyond the ability of the housing authority to provide,” said Dellinger. “And we’re reflective of what's happening across the country.” 

Cleveland Housing Authority is a non-profit corporation which provides public housing and urban development programs. Dellinger believes the corporation “to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” and an unnoticed “mission field.”

“Our main focus is rental housing assistance,” said Dellinger. “And, you know, it's designed to be able to give folks a hand up at a time where they're really struggling, and allow them to hopefully be able to get their house in order and their finances in order so that they can work towards being self-sufficient.”

Cleveland Housing Authority works with City Fields and Habitat for Humanity, assisting in the demand for housing authorities over rental housing, and moving people to the next step of homeownership.  

Tammy Johnson, executive director for Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, said projects like Folks’ address important needs in communities. 

“These projects help fuel Habitat’s mission by providing a positive way for our community to engage through financial gifts and volunteerism to improve the lives of our neighbors,” said Johnson. “Together, we are making a stronger community.”

Habitat for Humanity helps meet the needs presented by the Cleveland Housing Authority and offers shelter within local communities. 

“Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland brings people together to build homes, communities and hope,” said Johnson. 

Bike and Build continues the initiative for affordable housing alongside organizations like Cleveland Housing Authority, locally, and Habitat for Humanity, across the country. 

Folks is raising funds for her trip, which will be used towards the trip costs, organization funds and the communities the team encounters. To donate to Folks’ mission, click here. For more information, visit Bike and Build’s website.