Community
Empathy
Safety
Respect
Compassion
Kindness
Pinwheel Place provides a safe place for children. We provide residential care and coordinate community resources according to the needs of the family. We serve primarily children from birth to six years old.
Lynn Hawkins -Founder
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Lynn has spent most of her life volunteering or being involved in nonprofits. She has been passionate about preventing child abuse all of her life. When she was 21, after studying Community and Family Services at University of Delaware, she moved away from the only home she knew in New Jersey to Texas, where she interned at Casa De Esperanza. At Casa, a home for abused and neglected children, she went from being a child care worker in the houses to being the head houseparent in one of their new developmental therapeutic homes for children. When she returned home to NJ she knew she wanted to open a similar home to help the children here the way Casa De Esperanza helped the children in Texas. It took her a while to make this dream become a reality because she fell in love with a little girl and soon adopted her. Meanwhile, she has worked as a Relief House Manager at the Ronald McDonald House. She also works at a private school in Monmouth County. Now 25 years later with her daughter by her side she has founded Pinwheel Place. Lynn knows first hand the impact that the simple act of showing you care has on children and hopes that Pinwheel Place will be a community of like minded people willing to make a difference in a child’s life.
Quadhera Simmons -Founder
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Quady is a passionate young professional, Quadhera, known to most as Quady, has worked in many positions with young children. She first was an art assistant at Ranney School Camp for five consecutive summers and one summer also worked with special needs adults at a school in Monmouth County. She interned with special needs pre-school children and with adults with mental illnesses while she was studying at Seton Hall University. Quadhera graduated with a Major in Social and Behavioral Sciences and a minor in Social Work. Recently she received her certification for Trauma and Resilience Practitioner. After graduating she volunteered once a week in the Child Life Department at Jersey Shore Medical Center until she started Pinwheel Place. Until it closed she also worked at St. Clare’s Home for Children where the children were often seen with Quady doing her latest project or playing and singing. She also has spent many hours working at the YMCA Child Achievement Branch. Quady is dedicated to making a difference in children’s lives and has a passion for helping children with special needs. “ I believe that all children have a right to be safe, loved and valued” . In her spare time, Quady enjoys partaking in many crafty endeavors and is not afraid of a little mess “ because it is what makes life fun”.
Linda Law
-Board Member
Linda Law is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in trauma. Linda has been married for 25 years, raised 5 children with her husband and has lived in numerous different states as well as internationally and understands how life’s daily needs can create a need for support from our communities at times. She has worked and volunteered for decades in the non-profit sector doing prevention education for families and youth as well as having been an advocate for domestic violence and social justice organizations over the years. Linda also served on the Board of Directors at the Bay Area Crisis Nursery in Concord, California for 3 years - an organization with a mission much the same as Pinwheel Place.
Linda’s heart is drawn to causes promoting the well-being of children and families. Pinwheel is one of those organizations which can help people by providing a safety net when things do not go as planned or difficult phase of life transitions create a need for community support. Through her work as a counselor, she knows that the value of a support system helping the children when adult crises happen is immeasurable- and by volunteering and supporting Pinwheel she hopes to help bring this type of assistance to those in need in New Jersey.
Christina Davies
-Board Member
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Christina Davies has volunteered with Pinwheel Place since 2017 focusing on fundraising and event planning. After moving to New Jersey from Pennsylvania with her husband, Christina was seeking a way to serve her new community and meet others. After searching online for local service organizations, Christina found Pinwheel Place. She met Lynn for the first time over drinks- tea for Lynn, coffee for Christina. This would be the first of many caffeine fueled meetings. Growing up with a strong support system in a multicultural environment, Christina has always recognized how her family, culture, and community contributed to her success. Christina believes that all children should grow up with the security of knowing that they are safe and loved, even in times of stress like she did. Pinwheel Place’s mission holds a special place in her heart. Christina is looking to continue to serve her community as her professional career progresses and she grows her own family.
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