Dear Early Childhood Community,

We hope this message finds you well. Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed remarkable strength, resilience, and generosity within our community as we navigate the effects of the wildfires. The outpouring of support—from parents, teachers, and colleagues coming together to share resources, offer assistance, and open their homes—has been a powerful testament to the deep bonds that unite us.

One school particularly affected is Methodist Preschool of Pacific Palisades, which lost its building. Despite this immense challenge, their determination to rebuild has been truly inspiring. They have already found a new space and begun welcoming their community back, ensuring that their children can reconnect and regain a sense of stability. As they work towards reopening their toddler program, we want to explore how we can come together to support them during this critical transition.

To help re-establish a nurturing environment for their youngest learners, we are reaching out to request donations of essential items. The school has compiled a list of materials that would help bring their new space to life, and we are asking if you might have any of these items in your own spaces or if you are able to contribute as they reopen their doors.

Additionally, if your school or another early childhood program in our community has been impacted and could use support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We want to explore all possibilities for extending help where it is needed most.

Together, we can create a strong, compassionate network for our early childhood community, ensuring that those who nurture and educate our youngest learners receive the care and support they deserve. 

If you can donate, please reach out to Estela, their Parent and Me Director, to arrange a time and place for drop-off at mpsparentandmeprogram@gmail.com.

Thank you for your generosity and commitment to this shared effort.

With gratitude,

Patricia and Branches Atelier Community

Here is the list of the items they are looking for:

• Translucent tabletop deep trays
• Sifters/scoopers/funnels
• Chubby paint brushes/markers/crayons
• Textured stampers
• Toddler grip/textures/shapes
• Toddler balance bikes
• Tumbling mats/ball pits
• Montessori/wooden toys (sorting/stacking/balancing rocks, busy boards)
• Lovevery wooden style materials for infants/toddlers
• Cause and effect wooden toys for toddlers/preschool
• Soft/rubber building blocks/legos
• Wooden vehicles (toddler-friendly)
• Toddler tables with chairs (adjustable height, removable legs)
• Play floor mats (waterproof room floor mats that can be easily cleaned and will protect babies/toddlers from hardwood floors)
• Adult floor chairs (portable/foldable for caregivers joining their littles on the floor for playtime)
• Drop cloths (canvas style, for protecting furniture and/or floors during art projects/exploration)