Huntington preschool raises $7,005 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in Huntington, NY, raised $7,005 in April through its annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort mixed classroom activities with fundraising and highlights how early education programs can teach kindness while supporting children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned a local preschool fundraiser into direct support for Make-A-Wish children with critical illnesses. - The effort also taught preschoolers practical lessons in kindness, empathy and community service. - The Learning Experience used the program to connect early childhood education with real-world giving.

What happened: - The Learning Experience in Huntington raised $7,005 during its month-long “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff contributed through donations, events and classroom activities. - The campaign supported Make-A-Wish and its mission to grant life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses.

The details: - Center leaders Amanda Alessi, Gabrielle Gaeta and Stephanie Quercia guided the campaign. - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers took part in fundraising events and classroom activities centered on compassion and helping others. - The school’s philanthropic mascots, Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua, helped bring the campaign to life. - The initiative 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. - The Learning Experience says the effort reflects its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and the communities it serves.

Between the lines: - The campaign gives the preschool a community-facing story that reinforces its brand promise beyond classroom instruction. - The repeated focus on hands-on participation suggests the fundraising program is designed as both a lesson and a donation drive. - The nationwide fundraising total shows the Huntington campaign is part of a larger recurring charity effort, not a one-off event.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue the annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign at other centers. - The school will keep using philanthropy activities to reinforce lessons about giving back and helping others. - Make-A-Wish will continue relying on community fundraising to support wish-granting work for children with critical illnesses.

The bottom line: - A preschool fundraiser in Huntington raised thousands for Make-A-Wish while teaching young children that service and generosity can make a tangible difference.