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Preschoolers from The North Ward Center in Newark who brought in their pennies they collected around their houses raised $845.72 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The children brought in their pennies and loose change for three weeks and deposited them into jars in their classrooms as part of the Pennies for Patients, a nationwide fundraising effort by White Plains, N.Y.-based organization.
"The children were very excited about bringing in pennies," said Eleanor George, the director of the North Ward Child Development Center at 475 Mount Prospect Avenue in Newark, one of five preschool locations run by the center. "The children knew they were raising money for a good cause."
Adrianne Davis, the Executive Director of The North Ward Center, said she is proud of the preschool staff for introducing charity so early.
"It's important for children, even as young as 4 and 5 years old, to understand that there are people who are less fortunate who need their help," Davis said. "Children who are exposed at an early age to charitable acts will have a good chance of becoming charitable when they are older."
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients program offers children in more than 3,000 local schools the chance to help children with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma by collecting spare change. Money raised through the program supports lifesaving research and services for patients.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to finding cures for blood cancers while improving the quality of life of patients and their families.
The North Ward Child Development Center enrolls 680 children in preschools in five locations in Newark. It is one of the largest Abbott preschools in the state.
