“Tour the Shore with Pinwheel Place”

April is a time for action according to Pinwheel Place. Pinwheel Place, a recently established non-profit with a mission of providing a nurturing home for children in crisis due to abuse and/or neglect right here on the Jersey Shore, will mark the fact that April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month by touring the shore to increase awareness of child abuse and what community members throughout New Jersey can do to promote the healthy and happy childhoods all children deserve. It will also highlight the Jersey shore from the Highlands to Long Beach Island-and what a great place it is to live.

“Child Abuse Prevention Month is a time when people are already thinking about children, so it’s the perfect opportunity for each of us to reflect and act upon the ways we can help children, families and our communities thrive,” said Lynn Hawkins, Director of Pinwheel Place “We all have a role to play, so our goal this April is to help others recognize that role and the ways in which we can maximize our impact.”

The need to act on behalf of children could not be more urgent. According to statistics from UNICEF, the U.S. ranks poorly in children’s issues, including 32nd out of 34 countries in terms of child poverty and 26th out of 29 in terms of overall well-being. New Jersey has nearly 12,000 substantiated cases of child abuse and 75 percent of children that are neglected are under the age of 5. Numbers like these remind us that each of us has a very important role to play when it comes to guaranteeing the healthy development, and the prevention of the abuse of our nation’s children.

“Together, we can change that which is what Pinwheel Place strives to do. Pinwheel Place’s mission is to provide a home for children in crisis due to abuse or neglect. We will provide residential care, and coordinate medical and psychological services according to the needs of the child . We will service children from birth to five years of age who are referred from local agencies. Our program serves to be preventative in nature by providing a safe place for children while the parents receive counseling, services and/or treatment for possible stressors that might lead to abuse and neglect.” said Ms. Hawkins.

“We’re grateful to the sponsors and partners who are helping Pinwheel Place engage people in taking action in support of children and families at the Jersey Shore,” said Quadhera Simmons, Assistant Director of Pinwheel Place. “When communities come together to support children and families, we as a community and even as a nation benefit.

Keep your eyes open for aqua pinwheels this month and follow us on our social media channels to watch as we “tour the shore” and see how many places you can identify. If you want to learn more about Pinwheel Place and how you can help visit http://www.pinwheelplace.org.
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