Cedar Grove preschool raises $10,303 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in Cedar Grove raised $10,303 in April through its annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied fundraising to classroom lessons on kindness and empathy while adding to a nationwide total of more than $11.5 million since 2018.

Why it matters: - The campaign gave preschoolers a hands-on way to learn kindness, empathy and community service. - The funds support Make-A-Wish and help grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The effort shows how early childhood education can connect classroom lessons to real-world giving.

What happened: - The Learning Experience in Cedar Grove raised $10,303 during its month-long Let’s Grant Wishes campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff contributed through donations, fundraising events and classroom activities. - The campaign benefited Make-A-Wish. - Center leaders Danielle Romano, Angela Emiliani, Liz Emiliani, Shelley Coss, Helena Frick and Christina DePrima guided the activities. - Philanthropic mascots Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua also took part.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Children joined fundraising events tied to the campaign. - Classroom lessons focused on compassion and helping others. - The campaign is part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - That curriculum introduces kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate activities. - The Learning Experience says the program helps children understand that small acts of giving can strengthen communities. - Since 2018, 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 uses its L.E.A.P. Curriculum to support cognitive, social and emotional development. - The company also extends learning through Bubbles and Friends, its 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 doubles as a brand-wide culture piece for The Learning Experience. - The campaign turns philanthropy into an early-learning lesson, not just a one-time donation drive. - The national fundraising total suggests the Make-A-Wish partnership has become a recurring part of the company’s identity.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue using its annual campaign to teach philanthropy while raising money for Make-A-Wish. - More centers across the company’s network could add to the national total in future years. - The Cedar Grove preschool will likely keep pairing classroom activities with community giving as part of its curriculum.