A Message from the Founder
A Life of Service,
A Mission of Compassion
For more than 20 years, much of my life and work has centered around helping people during difficult times. I have worked with refugees and immigrant families starting new lives in North Carolina, supported communities during times of crisis, and did volunteer work in Cambodia a few trips helping the victims of landmines and serving people who simply needed someone willing to listen, guide them, and help them find a way forward.
Through my service work, I have learned that helping people does not always require a big solution. Sometimes it begins by simply showing up, listening, and asking, “What can I do to help?”
My career in refugee and immigrant services has given me the opportunity to work with families from many countries and backgrounds. I have seen the challenges people face, but I have also seen their strength, determination, and hope. Those experiences are a big part of what inspired me to start the Wheels of Peace Foundation.
In addition, being part of a military family has also given me a deep appreciation for service and sacrifice in men and women in uniforms. Over the years, one lesson has stayed with me: caring about people is important, but when we could help, we should also be willing to act.
That is the idea behind Wheels of Peace. We started with bicycles and a desire to help children reach school. Where this journey takes us will continue to grow, but the heart of our mission will remain simple: listen to the community, understand the need, and do what we can to help.
The wheels have started moving. With the support of our community, I hope the mission will keep moving for many years to come.
My Story
Wheels of Peace reflects something I have learned through over 20 years of community humanitarian work and volunteering: we cannot solve every problem, but we can make a difference for the person in front of us.
Sometimes that means helping a newly arrival refugee family navigate into a new country. Sometimes it means showing up for a community after a disaster, or standing beside a veteran or military family, or simply listening when someone needs support.
And sometimes, it is as simple as putting a bicycle into the hands of a child who wants nothing more than the chance to get to school easier.
I have learned that meaningful change does not always begin with something big. It begins when we can see a need, care enough to respond, and do what we can to help.
That is what Wheels of Peace means to me: Turning compassion into action and giving people a better chance to move forward and opportunity.
Why I Founded Wheels of Peace
In rural Banteay Meanchey, I saw children walking long distances just to get to school. Some walk more than five kilometers each way and make the same long journey home at the end of the day. That is why we started with bicycles.
Project Bicycle
Our first initiative demonstrated how powerful a simple solution can be. Together with donors, monks, and schools, we provided 400 bicycles to students in Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia in July 2026.
Mobility is Hope
The Wheels Keep Moving
For a student who walks 5 to 10 kilometers daily just to get to school, having a bicycle means the world of happiness and a big difference. It means less time walking and more time for school, homework, family, and rest.
It also means arriving at school with more energy to learn and an easier way to continue their education.
A bicycle may seem simple to us, but for a child who live in a rural community who is determined to learn, it can open the road to education, opportunity, and hope.
Project Bicycle is where Wheels of Peace start first, but it is only the beginning.
As we grow, we want to continue helping children to have access to better education. That may mean a bicycle to get to school, books and learning materials, or other support that helps the students put learning and opportunity within their reach.
We believe the best way to help is to listen first. We work with local communities to understand what children and schools truly need and find simple and meaningful ways to support them.
Our work may change as the needs change, but our purpose remains the same: helping people have better access to education and opportunity.
Empowerment Through Action
Wheels of Peace is built on a simple belief: we may not be able to solve every problem, but we can make a difference in someone’s life that we meet.
For us, humanitarian work starts with the people in front of us. We meet, listen, we see what is needed, and we do what we can to help them.
Sometimes, even a small act of kindness and smile can make a meaningful difference.
July 2026, Banteay Meanchey
Photographs from the July distribution.
