Long Island City preschool raises $21,843 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience preschool in Long Island City collected $21,843 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied fundraising to classroom lessons on kindness and empathy while supporting children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign raised money for Make-A-Wish, which helps grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The effort also used early childhood education to teach kindness, empathy and community service through real-world participation. - The program shows how a preschool fundraiser can connect classroom learning with local philanthropy.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Long Island City took part in the center’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff members raised $21,843 during the month-long drive. - The campaign supported Make-A-Wish and helped fund life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

The details: - Center leaders Erika Garcia, Veronica Quiroga and Kiara Neris guided the campaign. - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Children also joined fundraising events and classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - The preschool used mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua” to bring the campaign to life. - The campaign is part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - That curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate experiences. - The Learning Experience says the initiative helps children see how small acts of giving can strengthen their communities. - Since 2018, children, families and staff across The Learning Experience centers nationwide have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish. - The Learning Experience has more than 480 centers open and over 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The company serves children from six weeks to six years old. - The Learning Experience is family-founded and uses its L.E.A.P.® Curriculum to support cognitive, social and emotional development. - The company also extends learning through Bubbles and Friends®, an educational media platform with original characters, music, video content and a companion app. - The Learning Experience has been recognized as the No. 1 Childcare Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine and the No. 1 Education Franchise by Franchise Business Review.

Between the lines: - The fundraiser gives The Learning Experience a visible way to connect its education brand with community service. - The campaign also reinforces a broader trend in early education: social-emotional learning increasingly gets paired with hands-on civic engagement. - The multi-year Make-A-Wish total suggests the campaign has become a recurring fundraising platform across the company’s centers.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue its annual Make-A-Wish campaign as part of its philanthropy curriculum. - The company’s broader center expansion and media platform suggest the program can reach more children and families in future years. - Make-A-Wish will use the funds to support additional wishes for children with critical illnesses.

The bottom line: - The Long Island City center turned a preschool fundraiser into a lesson in giving, while delivering a six-figure-scale impact through the company’s broader nationwide effort.