Sewell preschool raises $5,000 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience in Sewell, New Jersey, raised $5,000 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied fundraising to classroom lessons on empathy, kindness and community service.

Why it matters: - The campaign links early childhood education with philanthropy. - The $5,000 raised will support Make-A-Wish efforts for children living with critical illnesses. - The program also teaches preschoolers practical lessons in kindness, generosity and service.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Sewell, New Jersey, raised $5,000 during the school’s month-long April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign. - The fundraiser benefited Make-A-Wish. - The campaign used donations, events and classroom activities to build awareness and support.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers took part in fundraising events. - Classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - Center leaders Matthew Lemma, Jordyn Dreger, Grace Carey and Neetu Virdi-Chopra guided the campaign. - The preschool used philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua” to help bring the campaign to life. - The “Let’s Grant Wishes” 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 experiences. - Since 2018, children, families and staff across The Learning Experience centers nationwide have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish.

Between the lines: - The campaign serves as a community outreach effort and a classroom lesson at the same time. - The Learning Experience is using real-world fundraising to reinforce its broader education model. - Chief Operating Officer Brad Wahl said the company aims to go beyond basic early education and inspire the next generation of philanthropists.

What’s next: - The annual campaign is expected to continue as part of The Learning Experience’s philanthropy program. - The company will likely keep pairing classroom activities with community fundraising at other centers. - The broader Make-A-Wish partnership remains a major part of The Learning Experience’s service and outreach efforts.

The bottom line: - A local preschool fundraiser doubled as a lesson in empathy, and it added to a national campaign that has raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2018.