For the past five years, the Yoga Strong Foundation has partnered with Brighton High School to support an Early Learning Center in Ypsilanti, providing gifts to preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade students. Expanding this project has always been a dream of mine, and this year, it’s finally happening!

I’m thrilled to share that we’ve partnered with both Brighton and Pinckney High Schools to expand Operation Christmas Wishes to a second Early Learning Center in Ypsilanti. This year, we’re gifting hats, gloves, and a special wish-list gift to every child at Ford and Perry Early Learning Centers. If we reach our fundraising goal, we’d also love to provide a school-wide gift for each center.

We surveyed teachers at the schools to learn what they need most. One school dreams of a sandbox and sand toys for their playground, while the other could use supplies for a sensory room and new sports balls for their playground.

Between Brighton and Pinckney, we have 47 high school students rallying together to gift for 785 kids. To be honest, this is both incredibly exciting and a little scary—the most kids we’ve ever supported before was 375! But this community has always shown up in amazing ways to help us reach big goals.

This year, our fundraising target is $30,000 which is about $35 per kid. With your help, we can make it happen!

*This fundraising link represents the combined efforts of BHS and PHS. It’s all about collaboration, not competition. Together, we’re working to bring holiday cheer to 785 kids!