Bloomfield preschool raises $7,991 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in Bloomfield, New Jersey, raised $7,991 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The fundraiser tied classroom activities to philanthropy, teaching children kindness and empathy while helping grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The Bloomfield preschool fundraiser supported Make-A-Wish while giving young children a hands-on lesson in generosity, empathy and community service. - The campaign shows how early childhood education programs can connect classroom learning to real-world giving. - The effort also adds to a national total of more than $11.5 million raised by The Learning Experience centers for Make-A-Wish since 2018.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Bloomfield raised $7,991 during the center’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - The month-long effort benefited Make-A-Wish and aimed to help grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - Center leaders Anela Emiliani, Liz Emiliani, Christina DePrima, Nakia Vassell, Tiana Parker, Emily Winrow and Helene Frick guided the campaign. - The campaign included philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua.”

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers took part in fundraising events. - Classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - 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 program teaches children that small acts of giving can strengthen communities. - The company says the campaign reflects its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and communities.

Between the lines: - The fundraiser doubles as brand-building for The Learning Experience by pairing education with visible community impact. - The campaign gives the company a way to reinforce its philosophy that learning extends beyond academics. - The nationwide Make-A-Wish partnership helps create a recurring service project that can engage families and staff across centers.

What's next: - The Learning Experience will likely continue its annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign across its centers. - The company will keep using its philanthropy curriculum to teach children service-based lessons through hands-on activities. - More fundraising is possible as centers nationwide build on the program’s existing momentum.

The bottom line: - A local preschool fundraiser became both a charitable contribution and a lesson in empathy, with Bloomfield families helping support children with critical illnesses while the program reinforced The Learning Experience’s education mission.