Parent Profile: Amelia Ramirez on Motherhood and the Blessings of Down Syndrome
Motherhood speaks to the core of what it means to be alive. Just spending three minutes alone with a toddler, can cause a mother to experience a complete range of human emotions including happiness, love, fear, stress, anxiety, sadness, wonder, and utter panic! We interviewed GiGi’s Playhouse mom, Amelia Ramirez,...
National Volunteer Month 2022: Volunteers are Paramount in Helping us Change the Way the World Views Down Syndrome
April is National Volunteer Month! As an organization that is 99% volunteer-run, GiGi’s Playhouse is grateful for the opportunity this month offers to acknowledge and thank the countless volunteers who have helped us empower the Down syndrome community and promote global acceptance of our friends living with an extra chromosome....
Dear Autism
The following is a guest post Dear Autism, I saw you long before I acknowledged your existence. I witnessed you when Judah shook his Melissa and Doug duster and how he searched relentlessly for it every day. I skeptically enjoyed the way he mimicked all of his shows, suspecting that...
Your advocacy is making a difference!
The Down Syndrome Coalition, along with our colleagues from the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN), Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group-USA (DSMIG), International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association (IMDSA), and National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG), and in partnership with our self-advocates and families, succeeded in removing discriminatory...
To Fully Celebrate Diversity, We Must Understand Intersectionality
Intersectionality certainly turns the chessboard of diversity into one that is multi-dimensional. Without intersectionality, diversity becomes a singular layer where people of that category of equality are myopically fighting for their own piece of discriminatory turf. The basis for intersectionality is how various portions of an individual’s makeup can be...
Barry Books and Cooks Inspiration at 60!
At 60 years of age, Barry Burris is the oldest participant at GiGi’s Playhouse in Fort Meyers, Florida. A few years ago, Barry decided to improve his literacy skills. He was a level two reader at the time and had not received any formal literacy instruction since high school. With...
GiGi’s Playhouse Shines on the Global Medical Stage
On February 24th, 2022, GiGi’s Playhouse Founder and Chief Belief Officer, Nancy Gianni, and GiGi’s Playhouse National Education Manager, Shari Andress presented with a panel of experts at the 33rd International Congress on Pediatrics in a break-out session entitled “Experiences with Down Syndrome Patients”. The event was held virtually and was...
From our Founder: GiGi’s Goes to the Olympics
Hello Awesome GiGi’s Network! It is always such a blessing to get the opportunity to address everyone at all 61 GiGi’s Playhouse locations and start-ups, and the people who support them! In this update you will see how GiGi’s was represented by an amazing athlete at the winter Olympics in...
Big News and Happy Hearts
JOIN US on Saturday, February 26, for the return of the GiGi’s Playhouse “i have a voice” gala. Celebrity guest appearances, stellar entertainment and one-of-a-kind auction opportunities make this THE can’t miss gala of the Season. Tickets are limited, but the fun, inspiration and party are infinite!VIP seating with table service, passes to VIP reception and ringside seats...
Make a difference and volunteer to be a tutor!
Want to make an impact? Consider being a volunteer tutor! You can clearly see Shelby has gained confidence and skills in just one session of literacy and math tutoring! “I cannot thank GiGi's enough for the tutoring! After 3 weeks of Literacy tutoring, Shelby just picked up books and...
Another GiGi’s Miracle
A Holiday Message from Nancy and GiGi As GiGi and I finished our last road trip for 2021 I hit the Home button on my GPS and it said 3 hr 21 min! What? 321; the Down syndrome numbers! I was instantly filled with gratitude and awe. I knew it was...
Because of you … 2021 was amazing!
Dear Friends, Thank you. Because of you, GiGi’s Playhouse has triumphed over the unthinkable. Because of you, we're now reaching new parts of the world. Because of you, we’re now helping previously unserved communities. Because of you, we never let our families down, despite the tumult of 2020 and 2021....