A Message from the Founder
A Life of Service,
A Mission of Compassion
For more than 20 years, my professional career and community service have been dedicated to helping people navigate difficult moments, rebuild stability, and move toward greater opportunity. From supporting refugees in North Carolina to disaster relief efforts, I have learned that meaningful humanitarian work begins with one principle: show up when people need you.
My professional work has given me more than two decades of experience in refugee and immigrant services, program management, and leadership. I have had the privilege of working alongside families from many backgrounds as they overcome barriers, access resources, and build new lives. This prompted me to establish Wheels of Peace Foundation.
As part of a military family, I have a deep respect for sacrifice. My experiences reinforced something I have witnessed throughout my career: when hardship occurs, compassion must be followed by action. The wheels have started moving. With our community beside us, we intend to keep them moving for generations to come.
Why I Founded Wheels of Peace
We grew from a simple humanitarian idea: helping children overcome the barriers that prevent education.
A New Step Forward
In 2026, a lifetime of service took another step forward with the creation of Wheels of Peace Foundation. We grew from a simple humanitarian idea: helping children overcome the barriers that prevent education.
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 Cambodia in July 2026.
Mobility is Hope
The Wheels Keep Moving
For a child who struggles to reach school, a bicycle is much more than transportation. It is mobility, access to education, independence, and opportunity. Above all, it is hope.
Project Bicycle is only the beginning. We will continue working to remove transportation barriers for students, while expanding our vision to support further educational needs.
Empowerment Through Action
Wheels of Peace represents humanitarian work: we may not solve every challenge, but we can make a meaningful difference in the life of the person standing in front of us.
Don Francis
Executive Director
OUR TEAM
The Hearts Behind the Mission
Ashley Jones
Program Manager
Tess Brown
Community Outreach
July 2026, Banteay Meanchey
Photographs from the July distribution. [Photographer credit.]
