The Learning Experience Hackensack raises $11,391 for Make-A-Wish

Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Hackensack raised $11,391 during April’s monthlong “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied fundraising to early childhood lessons on kindness, empathy and giving back while supporting children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned a preschool fundraiser into a community effort that supported Make-A-Wish and reinforced lessons on compassion, generosity and service. - The money helps grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The program shows how early childhood education can pair classroom learning with real-world philanthropy.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Hackensack took part in the center’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff raised $11,391 for Make-A-Wish during the monthlong effort. - Center leaders Monica Mustacchio, Breanne Gugliotta and Emily Claudio guided the campaign. - Philanthropic mascots Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua helped bring the effort to life.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - The preschool hosted fundraising events. - Classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - The campaign was part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - The curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate activities. - The program is designed to show children that small acts of giving can help others and strengthen communities. - Since 2018, children, families and staff across The Learning Experience centers have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish. - The Learning Experience operates more than 480 centers and has more than 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The company serves children from 6 weeks to 6 years old. - The Learning Experience also offers its L.E.A.P. Curriculum and Bubbles and Friends educational media platform. - The company has been recognized as No. 1 Childcare Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine and No. 1 Education Franchise by Franchise Business Review.

Between the lines: - The Hackensack campaign blends fundraising with character-building, which can make philanthropy more tangible for young children. - The scale of the national Make-A-Wish partnership suggests the local effort is part of a broader, long-running companywide initiative. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company is committed to high-quality childcare and early education that goes beyond academics and to inspiring the next generation of philanthropists.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is expected to continue using its philanthropy curriculum and annual Make-A-Wish campaign across centers. - The company says it will keep combining early education with community service and family participation. - More information is available through the company’s social channels, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

The bottom line: - A local preschool fundraiser in Hackensack raised more than $11,000 while teaching children that helping others is part of learning.