Young Cyclists Biking across America helped Westside Housing Organization
Westside Housing Organization was honored to have a team from Bike and Build join volunteers from the Nottingham Urban Farm, BNIM Architects, and Westside Housing staff on Sunday, June 21st and Monday, June 22nd to help build a multi-use structure at the Nottingham Urban Farm, located at 20th and Washington in Kansas City, Mo.
Bike and Build is group of young adults between the ages of 18 and 28, who have given up their summer to ride from coast to coast in support of affordable housing. They began their trip in Virginia Beach, VA on May 23rd, and will pedal an average of 66 miles a day until they reach their destination at Cannon Beach, OR. Along the way they will stop at 10 different affordable housing organizations, with Westside Housing Organization being the 5th stop on their campaign.
Bike and Build will help to build a multi-use, sleek looking structure, designed by volunteer architects from BNIM, a renowned leader in sustainable design. This structure will allow not only tool storage, but also a comfortable indoor area to allow volunteer gardeners to get out of the weather, pack CSA boxes, and potentially educate neighborhood residents on how to prepare a variety of vegetables, from asparagus to zucchini. In addition to constructing the garden shed, volunteers will be painting and landscaping at the property.
The Nottingham Urban Farm is an initiative catalyzed by residents at the Nottingham Apartments, a Kansas City Equity Fund investment. The purpose of the Nottingham Urban Farm is to increase access to affordable fresh produce in the Westside neighborhood. In spring of 2015, the garden expanded to roughly 60 raised beds, the majority of which are located on formerly vacant and overgrown Missouri Department of Transportation right-of-way. For more information visit Nottingham Urban Farm.
Westside Housing Organization has been providing quality affordable housing and home repairs to Kansas City’s workforce families for 42 years. The Kansas City and St. Louis Equity Funds are proud partners of Westside Housing Organization and congratulate the community on the success of the Nottingham Urban Farm initiative!