Piscataway preschool raises $6,508 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in Piscataway raised $6,508 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort combined classroom activities, family donations and staff participation to teach young children about kindness while supporting wishes for kids with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The fundraiser connected early childhood education with real-world philanthropy. - The campaign supported Make-A-Wish children living with critical illnesses. - The effort gave preschoolers a hands-on lesson in empathy, generosity and community service.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Piscataway raised $6,508 during the center’s month-long April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign. - The campaign benefited Make-A-Wish and aimed to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. - Center leaders Amanda Thomas and Sweta Shah guided the activities. - The preschool’s philanthropic mascots, Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua, also took part.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Families and staff contributed through donations and fundraising events. - Classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - The campaign is 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 strengthen their 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 six weeks to six years old.

Between the lines: - The campaign doubles as a brand-building effort and a values lesson for families. - The emphasis on hands-on participation suggests the company is using philanthropy to reinforce its curriculum and identity. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company wants to go beyond basic academics and inspire the next generation of philanthropists.

What's next: - The Learning Experience’s annual fundraising model is likely to continue at centers nationwide. - The company will keep using its philanthropy curriculum and related activities to pair community giving with early learning. - Make-A-Wish fundraising across the network will build on the more than $11.5 million raised since 2018.

The bottom line: - A local preschool campaign raised a modest sum, but it also turned charitable giving into a practical lesson for young children.