ASAP’s September yard sale brought with it the spirit of generosity and hope for children half a world away. The event marked the official kickoff of the “Buck a Block, Fall 2025 Campaign,” a visionary effort dedicated to funding 200 sets of 110 handmade, wooden blocks for preschools in impoverished South African communities.

The preschool coaches at the Johannesburg hub were delighted by Marlese’s visit for the Toy Library training in August 2025.

In a world where technology is quickly evolving and shaping the ways we work, learn, and connect, our ASAP-PEN preschool coaches working in impoverished South African communities are delighted to benefit from innovative tools.

ASAP not only establishes libraries of educational toys. Our South Africa team headed by Marlese Nel, pictured here, takes stock annually of our soon-to-be 9 libraries.

Adopt a South African Preschool (ASAP) creates and maintains Libraries of Educational Toys in impoverished communities where most children languish in overcrowded, informal daycares with no toys or stimulation.

Can Learning Through Play Really Be the Key to Success in Life? by Maria Nienaber, who directs ASAP’s partner-NGO “Young Children’s Program.”

Did you build roads, towers, and cities with wooden blocks as a child? How about your children and grandchildren?

ASAP’s fall campaign aims to fund 200 sets of 100 handmade, wooden blocks which preschools can “earn to own”. Blocks are the most important resource in a preschool, according to Maria Neinaber, who directs the Young Children Program for ASAP’s NGO partner PEN. “These sets are GOLDEN…

ASAP Yard Sale Extravaganza! Saturday, Sept. 6th: Donate things, Buy things, Win things!

ASAP Honored Nelson Mandela’s Birthday and Legacy at United Christian Church in Levittown on July 20th, 2025.

How does the ASAP-PEN model turn babysitters into preschool teachers? Seeing is believing, in this short video!

A daily “brain boost” of nutritious food is now being distributed to 430 children in preschools registered at the toy library training hub in Senekal, Free State.

Boys and girls develop fine motor skills, imagination, and empathy while playing with ASAP-supplied dolls clothed in beautiful outfits made by volunteers from churches and retirement communities.

Owners and staff of preschools registered at ASAP’s first six Educational Toy Libraries were recently trained to “make math fun” for 4-6 year-olds.

Faculty and students from the University of Pretoria’s Department of Early Childhood Education are assessing the impact of the PEN/ASAP model. PEN’s staff of 23 coaches mentor daycare owners as they turn their settings into preschools.

The ASAP board received photos from PEN’s preschool coaches to celebrate our fifth birthday on Valentine’s Day.

This Valentine’s Day marks the fifth birthday of Adopt a South African Preschool (ASAP), a Yardley-based nonprofit which makes early childhood education accessible in disadvantaged South African communities.

Linda McGowan (right) and Evette Pettaway (left) are engaged in high finance at Executive Director Nancy Schongalla’s dining room table.

The preschool coaches and school owners were delighted by the first bunch of SOAPLAY bars which arrived February 22, 2024.

And we’re off…to interview for a first coach in Senekal, Free State…in our new PEN/ASAP car!

PEN’s preschool coaches are thrilled about 20 laptops donated by GEP, a global supply chain solution company based in New Jersey.