Basking Ridge preschool raises $5,000 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in Basking Ridge raised $5,000 in April through its annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign for Make-A-Wish. The fundraiser paired classroom learning with donations and events to teach children empathy while supporting wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned early childhood education into a real-world lesson in kindness, empathy and community service. - The $5,000 raised in Basking Ridge will help support Make-A-Wish efforts for children living with critical illnesses. - The local fundraiser also added to a national effort that has raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2018 across The Learning Experience centers.

What happened: - The Learning Experience Preschool in Basking Ridge ran its annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” fundraising campaign during April. - Preschoolers, families and staff members raised $5,000 for Make-A-Wish. - The campaign included donations, fundraising events and classroom activities. - Center leaders Anthony Mina, Victoria Motachwa and Tania Brown guided the effort. - Philanthropic mascots Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua helped bring the campaign to life.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers took part in 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 experiences. - The Learning Experience said the program helps children understand that small acts of giving can strengthen communities. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company is committed to high-quality childcare and early education that goes beyond academics. - Wahl said the partnership with Make-A-Wish helps create meaningful community impact while inspiring future philanthropists.

Between the lines: - The fundraiser gives the preschool a way to connect classroom learning with visible community impact. - The campaign also reinforces The Learning Experience’s broader brand message that early education includes social and emotional development, not just academic skills. - The long-running Make-A-Wish partnership gives the philanthropy curriculum a measurable goal that families and children can see.

What's next: - The Learning Experience will continue using its annual fundraising campaign as part of its philanthropy curriculum. - The company will keep expanding its early childhood education footprint, with more than 480 centers open and over 240 locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The Learning Experience will continue supporting children from six weeks to six years old through its L.E.A.P.® Curriculum and Bubbles and Friends® media platform.

The bottom line: - A preschool fundraiser in Basking Ridge became both a community donation drive and a hands-on lesson in giving back.