Donor Spotlight >> 

The Buchheim Family

Our family first came to know Pretend City when my three kids were very young. They loved exploring the different parts of the city, becoming fire fighters, mechanics, bankers, doctors, performers and so much more. They met other kids and came up with new games. One of my favorite memories is of my then three-year-old daughter running up to another child and yelling, “Want to play?!?” and then the two of them running off on some adventure together. What they didn’t know then is that through all that fun, they were learning and developing the skills they needed to grow healthy minds and bodies and to navigate the bigger world around them.  

As our kids grew and we came to appreciate the mission of Pretend City more fully, I got more involved. I have served as a Board member and in various other capacities with Pretend City since 2013 and am continually impressed by the work the organization does to develop our youngest citizens, with a primary focus on school readiness. All of the programming at Pretend City is essential and deliberately planned to promote early childhood development, but I am most passionate about and proud of the programming around diversity. Pretend City strives to provide opportunities for parents and kids to learn more about the diverse world around them and to create a community where all parents and kids can see themselves and feel that they belong. The skills that kids learn through this programming today will help them to grow into more knowledgeable, empathetic, and thoughtful members of the community tomorrow.  

My favorite way to give to Pretend City is through the events, most notably the Smart Start Luncheon and the Summer Soiree. These events are educational and fun and raise funds that directly benefit the mission of Pretend City. I am also excited and privileged to support the Capital Campaign to move Pretend City to the Great Park where even more families will benefit from the incredibly important work Pretend City does. I am very fortunate to have the support of my employer, Capital Group, behind me. Capital Group has continued to be a strong supporter of Pretend City over the years, both through monetary contributions and through providing teams of volunteers to support the museum.  

What I wish everyone knew – “Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning” (Diane Ackerman) and it is not just for kids – adults need it too. Pretend City offers the perfect environment for kids to learn and develop through play in their own miniature city AND is a perfect space for their adults to get in on the fun too. But play is not the only benefit Pretend City offers. As a not-for-profit, Pretend City offers developmental screenings to identify developmental delays early as well as connections to critical resources to support parents as they help their children overcome any obstacles they may have.