April at Kellin Foundation: Standing Up for Children, Together

Every April, communities across the country recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month. At Kellin Foundation, that recognition comes with action.

We started by planting pinwheels in the yard outside the Hope Hub—each one a reminder of what all children deserve: safety, stability, and a chance to thrive. From there, the month has been full of opportunities to learn, speak up, and support the work of protecting children and strengthening families.

On April 2nd, we gathered with our partners in the Resilient Guilford Network to hear from speakers with Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Protective Services division, and the Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina. Their insight and experience continue to shape how we show up for the children and families we serve.

We also accepted proclamations from both the Greensboro and High Point City Councils recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month—an honor we carried on behalf of the entire Resilient Guilford Network.

Throughout the month, our team has stayed active in the community. We wore green in support of early childhood educators, thanks to our partners at Guilford County Partnership for Children. We joined Healthy Kids Day at the Bryan YMCA. And we hosted a free Stewards of Children: Darkness to Light training to help adults recognize, prevent, and respond to child sexual abuse.

More opportunities are on the way:

• April 23: Community Resiliency Model (CRM) Training

• April 29: Stewards of Children: Darkness to Light Training

• April 30: Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

Each of these is free and open to the public—and designed to give people practical tools to support the mental and emotional well-being of children and caregivers.

Here’s how you can still take part this month:

• Register for an upcoming training

• Snap a photo with pinwheels and help spread the word

• Start conversations—because awareness is prevention

There’s no single way to prevent abuse and neglect—but it always starts with people who care enough to show up. We’re grateful to be part of a community that continues to do just that.

Why We Plant Pinwheels

They show up like spring itself—soft and sudden. One day the ground is bare, and the next, it’s dotted with a hundred tiny whirlwinds, catching the light just right.  Colorful pinwheels, rooted in front lawns and schoolyards, near libraries and nonprofits, turning slow in the April breeze like they’ve got all the time in the world.

If you don’t know what they are, they might just look like decorations. Like somebody’s child had a birthday, and the grown-ups went a little overboard.

But they mean something. They stand for something.

We plant pinwheels because not every child gets the kind of childhood we’d want for our own. Not every child feels safe. Not every child goes to sleep with a full belly and a calm mind. And the truth of that—hard as it is—is something we don’t want to turn away from.

The pinwheel came to be a national symbol for child abuse prevention back in 2008. It was chosen not because it was sad or solemn, but because it wasn’t. Because it’s what childhood should look like—bright, carefree, full of motion and light. The kind of thing you’d find stuck in the ground beside a sandbox, or tucked in a flowerpot on a grandmother’s porch.

It reminds us that prevention is not about fear—it’s about hope.

We believe every child deserves what the pinwheel represents: joy, protection, peace. It’s why we walk alongside children and families through their hardest seasons—helping them heal, grow, and find the strength to keep going. We plant these pinwheels to honor the kids we’ve lost. We plant them for the families we walk beside. And we plant them for the ones we haven’t met yet—the ones who, with a little help, can carry resilience forward instead of trauma.

There’s a saying in the South: you tend the garden you’ve got. These pinwheels are our way of tending. Of saying this community will not turn its back. That we will keep showing up—for our kids, our neighbors, and each other.

So if you see a yard full of spinning pinwheels this April, maybe don’t just drive by. Let them stop you, if only for a second. Let them remind you what children deserve.

And maybe—just maybe—plant one yourself.

Planting Pinwheels for Prevention®: Join Us in Recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month

On April 1st, the Kellin Foundation will be planting a garden of Pinwheels for Prevention® at our office to mark the beginning of Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each pinwheel we place in the ground represents our shared belief that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment.

The pinwheel has become a powerful national symbol—one that reminds us of the bright, hopeful childhoods all children should have. It’s a simple gesture, but one that carries deep meaning.

If you'd like to join us in showing your support, we’ll have pinwheels available for pick-up at our Resilient Guilford Network (RGN) meeting on April 2nd at the Hope Hub. Whether you plant one pinwheel or create a whole display, your participation helps raise awareness and spark conversations that matter.

Let’s come together this April—yard by yard, pinwheel by pinwheel—and make visible our commitment to children and families across our community.

Blossoming Kindess: Kare's Club Cultivates Compassion at Greensboro Day School

​In anticipation of our upcoming Journey to Brave event—a celebration of community resilience and mental health advocacy—we are inspired by stories like that of seventh-grader Kare. At Greensboro Day School, Kare founded the Kindness Club, encouraging her peers to engage in small acts of compassion. Recognizing the connection between kindness and mental health, the club collaborates with organizations such as our Hope Hub, Crayons Matter, and Backpack Beginnings, extending their reach beyond the school to enhance the well-being of the Greensboro community. Kare's dedication embodies the spirit of bravery and community support that we celebrate at Journey to Brave, illustrating how individual initiatives can foster widespread empathy and resilience. Let’s all learn from her example and be kind!

March 2025 Newsletter

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A Slam Dunk Day for Kellin Kids!

Laughter, balloons, and basketballs filled the gym at Christ United Methodist Church on March 8th as Kellin Kids came together for an afternoon of fun, connection, and community—all leading up to the Greensboro Swarm’s Mental Health Awareness Game Night on March 14th.

With the support of Beyond Sports, Blue Cross NC, Christ United Methodist Church, the Greensboro Swarm, the Kellin Foundation, and an incredible team of volunteers, 30 kids rotated through activities designed to build confidence, teamwork, and a sense of belonging. As they arrived, they colored bookmarks, played giant Jenga, and ran through a sea of balloons scattered across the gym floor. Once everyone was ready, kids were split into three groups, each jumping into a different experience. On the court, Beyond Sports coaches led basketball drills where kids practiced relays, passing, dribbling, and shooting in a fun and encouraging environment. In another activity, kids reflected on their strengths, sharing words like “loyal,” “funny,” “kind,” and “strong” before writing them on their own brightly colored basketballs to take home. At the bracelet-making station, they crafted message bracelets in Greensboro Swarm colors, which will be gifted to the players during Mental Health Awareness Game Night.

After all the activities, families gathered for a pizza party complete with Swarm-colored cupcakes. Every child left not only with great memories but also free tickets for their family to attend the Swarm’s game on March 14th. In total, 80 tickets were given out, including to families whose children helped design the special uniforms the Swarm will wear that night.

With game day approaching, there’s still a way to be part of this special night. A portion of every ticket sold through the link below will support the Kellin Foundation and help provide mental health services for children and families.

🎟 Get your tickets here: https://swarm.spinzo.com/greensboro-swarm-vs-maine-celtics-2025-03-14-VZCAJ?group=the-kellen-foundation-rerc

A huge thank you to our partners, volunteers, and families for making this event such a success. Wear your purple and we’ll see you at the game!