Belmont preschool raises $10,625 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in Belmont, North Carolina, raised $10,625 in April through its annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort combined fundraising with classroom activities to teach children empathy, kindness and community service while supporting wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned early childhood education into a hands-on lesson in philanthropy. - Funds raised through The Learning Experience in Belmont will help Make-A-Wish grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The program also teaches preschoolers how kindness, generosity and community service can have a real-world impact.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Belmont raised $10,625 during the center’s month-long “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - The fundraising effort benefited Make-A-Wish. - Center leaders Vivek Gaddam, Ashley Washing, Sarah Ballard and Brittney Ellis helped guide the campaign. - The campaign featured the philanthropic mascots Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers took part in fundraising events and classroom 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 says the approach is designed to extend learning beyond the classroom. - The preschool says the campaign reflects its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and communities.

Between the lines: - The campaign is as much about social-emotional learning as fundraising. - The structure gives young children a concrete way to connect classroom lessons with community impact. - The Learning Experience is using philanthropy as part of its broader brand identity, not as a one-off event. - Since 2018, children, families and staff across The Learning Experience centers nationwide have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish.

What's next: - The Learning Experience will likely continue its annual fundraising campaign as part of its broader philanthropy curriculum. - The company also continues to expand nationally, with more than 480 centers open and over 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The Learning Experience’s early education model will keep pairing classroom learning with community service activities.

The bottom line: - The Belmont preschool’s campaign raised money for Make-A-Wish and gave young children a practical lesson in empathy, generosity and service.