Midlothian preschool raises $5,259 for Make-A-Wish

Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Midlothian raised $5,259 during an April campaign for Make-A-Wish, blending fundraising with lessons on kindness and empathy. The effort is part of the chain’s broader philanthropy curriculum, which has helped raise more than $11.5 million nationwide since 2018.

Why it matters: - The campaign paired early education with real-world philanthropy, giving preschoolers a hands-on way to learn kindness, generosity and community service. - The $5,259 raised will support Make-A-Wish efforts for children living with critical illnesses. - The program shows how childcare centers can use service projects to teach empathy while helping families in need.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Midlothian, Virginia, raised $5,259 during the school’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - The month-long effort benefited Make-A-Wish. - Children took part in fundraising events, classroom activities and letter-writing for wish children. - Center leaders Grace Huxtable-Mount, PhD, Jason Mount, Trinace Grant, Ashley Cridlin and Sharon Lincoln guided the campaign. - The preschool used philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua” during the effort.

The details: - The campaign was part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - The curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate activities. - The Learning Experience said the campaign reflects its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and communities. - Children learned that small acts of giving can help others and strengthen their communities. - 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 operates more than 480 centers and has over 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The company serves children from six weeks to six years old. - The Learning Experience also offers Bubbles and Friends, an educational media platform with original characters, music, video content and a companion app. - The company has been named the No. 1 Childcare Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine and the No. 1 Education Franchise by Franchise Business Review.

Between the lines: - The Midlothian campaign is part fundraising drive, part character-building exercise for young children. - The format gives The Learning Experience a way to connect its classroom model with community impact. - The national Make-A-Wish total suggests the fundraiser has become a recurring and scalable part of the company’s brand identity.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue its annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaigns at centers nationwide. - The company will keep using philanthropy activities to reinforce its early childhood education model. - Community fundraising will remain tied to the broader Make-A-Wish partnership.