I can not believe we are already well into January! In just over a week I will be turning 22. In just under four months, I will be graduating from college. And less than a week after that, I will be heading out on one of the greatest adventures of my life! I am so excited about bike and build. I encourage you to learn more about the program and the affordable housing crisis by visiting the links on the side of my blog!
I can not think of anything better than getting up in the morning and knowing that I will be spending the day promoting a meaningful cause and pushing myself and my limits so I can be the best person I can be.
I am so enthusiastic in fact, that I often take my new cycling shoes out of my closet and put them on just so I can look at them! The loud clip clop of the soles on tile sounds just like high heels striding across my bedroom. However the hardcore factor peaks when I see my reflection in the mirror. Ankles protruding from teal crank-style adjustment straps (like snow skis), I am ready to take on the road. That is, as soon as I learn how to snap them in and out of my bike pedals quickly. Lets put it this way, imagine trying to get off a bike with your shoes tied. That is pretty much what I imagine the incident would look like if I tried getting off my bike wearing my cycling shoes right now.
The realness of the upcoming summer dropped into place as I sent several dozen fund raising letters careening down the shiny slide of metal in the post office mailbox. It further solidified itself the moment I chose "publish event" for my "Help Allison Bike Across the Country for a Great Cause!" event on Facebook. I felt the release of the brakes, and the pedals of my future began reeling. Lets hope my final semester doesn't fly by too fast because I expect it to be one of the best yet.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
My Mini Bio
Here is a little about me: (from my Donation Page)
Kia Ora, or Hello!
My name is Allison Roshon Young and I am 22 years old. I was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I will graduate in May 2010 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am very excited to bike across my home state and celebrate the familiar surroundings before heading of to explore the great unknown! The physical challenge may seem a bit daunting right now, but I know with training I will be ready to ride off into the sunset!
I will graduate with a B.A. in Public Relations, but my interests are much broader than my major. I have a minor in Social Entrepreneurship and have great interest in social ventures. I love to think creatively to solve problems and enjoy helping others achieve their goals. I am interested in Psychology and Social Work and am considering pursuing a career in counseling or non-profit management. I do not know what the future holds for me now, but plan to let my heart and experiences guide me. I would love to own and run my own non-profit one day.
In my free time I enjoy spending time outside, and I'm up for any new exhilarating activity. I also work with several non profit organizations involved with bereavement services and programs which serve disconnected youth. I also volunteer each week with Helping Horse, a therapeutic horseback riding facility in Raleigh, NC. I am fascinated by people, families, and friends, and I love spontaneous dance parties.
Random fun facts about me: I have bungy jumped 134 meters, rafted down a 7 meter waterfall, and I can juggle!
I first heard about Bike and Build from a friend during my sophomore year of college. My desire to apply was strengthened again during the spring of my Junior year when one of my roommates from my study abroad program in New Zealand told me how great her experience had been.
A portion of the proceeds from my ride with Bike and Build will go to the Orange County Habitat for Humanity chapter, which is based here in the area where I am attending school. I have done builds with the Orange County chapter before, and am greatly pleased that I am able to help them build more homes and benefit my local community. On a personal note, I will be riding with Bike and Build in honor of my mother, Melinda Sue Roshon. To learn more you can visit www.melindasueroshon.com.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Bike and Build: An Introduction
This summer, I will be biking from the Outer Banks in North Carolina to San Diego, California. The trip is a part of the Bike and Build Program, which sends young adults on cross country bike trips to help build homes and give presentations on affordable housing along the way.
High cost burdens affect 43 percent of all renters, and half of these pay more than 50 percent of their income for their housing costs. In the absence of enough affordable units, households pay more money than they can afford and are constrained from meeting expenses for other basic needs such as medical care, childcare, and food.
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Over the summer I will be biking 3,542 miles to inform others of this crisis and tell them how they can help. To match this great distance, I must raise $4,000 to participate in the program. As I train my legs and lungs, I hope to raise awareness among my friends and family. I hope you will become a part of my journey. I have already learned a lot about the difficulties so many individuals face at no fault of their own. If you would like to help enable this remarkable experience for a great cause, please visit My Donation Page (http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/3809) and make your meaningful contribution online.
A portion of the proceeds from this trip will go to benefit the Orange County Habitat for Humanity chapter in Orange County, North Carolina. That is right here near UNC Chapel Hill! They will use the money to fund student-run builds during the 2010-2011 school year. The remainder of the funds will be pooled into Bike & Build’s competitive grant program. The bike and build riders also have the opportunity to help decide who some of the recipients of these funds should be. So, if you know of any local youth-driven housing projects, please let me know so I can help them apply for the grants!
The following is a brief summary of the affordable housing crisis from http://www.afhh.org/comm_ar/comm_ar_crisis.htm:
The affordable housing crisis is most manifest in the gap between household income and housing costs for many Americans. This problem cuts across all boundaries: in no city, county, or other jurisdiction in the United States does a minimum wage job provide enough income for a household to afford to rent a two-bedroom home at the local fair market rate. This gap is growing: monthly housing costs grow 5-15 percent annually while the minimum wage has remained at $5.15 since 1997. In 2003, the national average wage needed to make the national average rent payment was $14.66—almost triple the minimum wage.
I encourage you to visit the Bike and Build website (www.bikeandbuild.org) to learn more about the affordable housing crisis and what is being done to help rectify the situation! And please spread the word and link to my donation page to anyone you believe may be interested in supporting the cause!
High cost burdens affect 43 percent of all renters, and half of these pay more than 50 percent of their income for their housing costs. In the absence of enough affordable units, households pay more money than they can afford and are constrained from meeting expenses for other basic needs such as medical care, childcare, and food.
Over the summer I will be biking 3,542 miles to inform others of this crisis and tell them how they can help. To match this great distance, I must raise $4,000 to participate in the program. As I train my legs and lungs, I hope to raise awareness among my friends and family. I hope you will become a part of my journey. I have already learned a lot about the difficulties so many individuals face at no fault of their own. If you would like to help enable this remarkable experience for a great cause, please visit My Donation Page (http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/3809) and make your meaningful contribution online.
A portion of the proceeds from this trip will go to benefit the Orange County Habitat for Humanity chapter in Orange County, North Carolina. That is right here near UNC Chapel Hill! They will use the money to fund student-run builds during the 2010-2011 school year. The remainder of the funds will be pooled into Bike & Build’s competitive grant program. The bike and build riders also have the opportunity to help decide who some of the recipients of these funds should be. So, if you know of any local youth-driven housing projects, please let me know so I can help them apply for the grants!
The affordable housing crisis is most manifest in the gap between household income and housing costs for many Americans. This problem cuts across all boundaries: in no city, county, or other jurisdiction in the United States does a minimum wage job provide enough income for a household to afford to rent a two-bedroom home at the local fair market rate. This gap is growing: monthly housing costs grow 5-15 percent annually while the minimum wage has remained at $5.15 since 1997. In 2003, the national average wage needed to make the national average rent payment was $14.66—almost triple the minimum wage.
I encourage you to visit the Bike and Build website (www.bikeandbuild.org) to learn more about the affordable housing crisis and what is being done to help rectify the situation! And please spread the word and link to my donation page to anyone you believe may be interested in supporting the cause!
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