Habitat Bicycle Challenge
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The Habitat Bicycle Challenge (HBC) is the largest annual fundraiser for any Habitat for Humanity affiliate in the United States. Led by Yale University students, HBC is a 4,000 mile cross-country bicycle ride that raises money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity. Each rider raises $4,000 (about one dollar for every mile biked), donates the money to Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven, and bikes across the country.
The ride, founded in 1994 by a Yale student named Antony Brydon who believed that college students could fund the construction of an entire Habitat house, raised about $50,000 in its first year as Antony and seven other college students biked, unsupported, across the United States. Since then, the trip has grown to encompass ninety riders on three trips. Still, the ride retains its origins as a student-led organization; a group of twelve students organizes the three trips. It is now the largest annual fundraiser of any Habitat for Humanity chapter in the world.
In 2006, the group raised over $430,000--enough to fund the construction of about 6 or 7 homes. There are three routes with about 30 riders each. All three start in New Haven, Connecticut at the beginning of the summer. The North Trip travels to Seattle, Washington, the Central Trip to Portland, Oregon, and the South Trip to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.
Across the country, the riders are supported by generous communities. Many nights, the riders stay on church floors and break bread with community members who provide them with accommodations. Occasionally, the riders camp or stay in community centers. The support of local communities, along with generous support from many corporate sponsors such as Green Mountain Gringo Salsa, ClifBar, Cannondale, Mortgage Lenders Network, and many more, allows much of the trip's proceeds to go directly to the construction of Habitat homes.
The Habitat Bicycle Challenge 2007 departed from New Haven, Connecticut, on June 2. This year's ride is aiming to raise at least $400,000.
1996 (Washington, DC - San Francisco, CA, 27 riders)
Julian Austin
Bianca Baumler
Caryn Brady
Brian Brisnehan
Emily Coven
Shane Dickey
Jim Garman
Guillermo Gomez
Brooke Groves-Anderson
Matt Harris
Missy Higdon
Anthony Levine
John Michael McDonald
R. Scott Mitchell
DeVon Nolt
Christopher Noyes
Kathryn Parsons
Scott Pike
Asa Piyaka
Jennifer Reisch
Rachel Sparks
Christina Uss
Brian Vogt
Parag Vora
Rebecca Widiss
Lisa Weiner
Zoe Williams
UPDATE:
The Habitat Bicycle Challenge has been cancelled until further notice. The HBC Board of Directors believe that it is unsafe to put these students on bikes for two months on American roads.
