Founded on the belief that early education should nurture the whole child, Friendly Forest Preschool Association is a not-for-profit preschool that focuses on social and emotional development as the foundation for lifelong learning. For 40 years, the preschool has been a beloved cornerstone of the Tri-Cities community. And today, we are the last parent co-op preschool to serve this community, and we are at risk of closing our doors.

The magic of our preschool is in the hearts of our teachers, they are passionate educators who have transformed our preschool into a place where children flourish. Our teachers bring decades of ECE experience. Their curriculum encourages children to explore their natural curiosity, express themselves freely and problem solve in a supportive environment that values kindness, cooperation, and emotional intelligence. 

Another unique feature about our preschool is the parent cooperative aspect. Parents are active participants and volunteers. The preschool is sustained by dedicated parents who contribute their time, talents, and care to every aspect of the program, from classroom support, daily snacks, to the day-to-day operations and fundraising.

As a non-profit, we depend on community support to keep our doors open and our programs thriving. In recent years, our preschool has faced increased costs in a changing economy with shortfalls in funding and we are struggling to cover our operating expenses. We are working hard to bridge our funding gap through fundraising, grants and program adjustments but we need your help. The current level of operations is not financially sustainable. If we maintain the way we run things, we will deplete our savings in approximately 18 months. 

Every contribution, big or small, helps us cover essential expenses like teacher wages, indoor and outdoor equipment, and classroom materials. Please consider donating today to help us keep our preschool doors open and our community strong for years to come!