Everyone has passions. Some become an intense, long-term dedication to a task in the hopes of achieving a goal, while others take the form of a playful weekend hobby. Unfortunately, life often gets in the way of these passions, leaving them unfulfilled. But for one lucky Penn State alumnus, a joint passion for serving others and traveling will come to life when he journeys across the country later this year, stopping along the way to perform service work for others.

Jordan Crawford graduated from Penn State in 2016 and recently joined Bike and Build, a nonprofit with a mission to raise money and awareness for affordable housing. Each year, the Philadelphia-based organization selects a group of 36 individuals interested in helping others and traveling to bike across the northern United States and participate in a multitude of community service projects.

As an undergraduate student, Crawford got involved with service trips through Penn State Alternative Breaks at the start of his sophomore year and was eventually invited to lead a trip himself. He also served as the service chair for Lion Ambassadors during his junior year. Crawford’s interest in Bike and Build grew out of a recommendation from two Penn State colleagues.

“I heard about Bike and Build through a couple other guys in Lion Ambassadors,” Crawford said. “Two guys who are a year older than me did two separate coast-to-coast trips after graduation, and my former roommate did the two short coastal trips after graduation last summer.”

The journey itself will take place over a 10-week time span, beginning on June 10 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and ending on August 25 in Bellingham, Washington. In order to keep up with the pace of the event, bikers like Crawford will need to travel an average of 69 miles each day.

Because the aim of the project is to benefit those without housing, the team of riders will take part in volunteer days along the way to help build affordable homes for those in need. Bike and Build is currently partnered with 12 other affordable housing organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, to help make the dream of a home a reality for many low-income families.

The crew plans to work in towns like Buffalo, New York, Madison, Wisconsin, and many others during their build days. Along the way, they’ll also take part in advocacy events and raise awareness about their cause in the towns they visit.

Crawford knew he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to participate in such a unique experience. He said that there are few times in life that allow for three months of engaging travel. But that’s not the only reason he wanted to get involved with Bike and Build.

“It is also another learning and growing experience for me. I enjoy learning about various social issues,” he said. “As a public health major and soon-to-be graduate student in the same field, all of these things are intertwined within the health field and give me a better perspective on the issues that I work with.”

In preparation for the trip, Crawford has been biking to and from work on a daily basis. On average, he bikes about 10 miles a day, and will need to train extensively before he embarks on his approximately 4,000 mile journey across the country.

In order to take part in the event, however, Crawford must also raise at least $5,000, which is why he encourages anyone who’s interested in making a donation to check out his fundraising page. The majority of the money Crawford raises will be donated to affordable housing organizations. In fact, since 2002 Bike and Build has raised 6.2 million dollars for its cause nationwide.

“Service and volunteering have been a facet of my life since my second year at Penn State, and it is invaluable to me,” he said.

For Crawford, one of the best parts of service work is the opportunity to meet and work with others while learning more about their experience.

“I loved getting to meet the other Penn Staters who had vastly different backgrounds than me,” he said. “I am continually amazed how a group of strangers come together for a common purpose.”