GiGi’s Fitness Frontier
GiGi’s Playhouse advances with the latest research on Down syndrome health Research. Data. Medical studies. ...try not to yawn. We know all the above sounds a little boring (or a lot boring), but at GiGi’s, research and medical findings are imperative to what we do. Our programming is rooted in...
Cheryl’s story: Embracing a beautiful journey of motherhood
**This special Mother’s Day story was submitted via #MyDsStory Written by our guest writer, Cheryl Sewell My son Cruz’s diagnosis was a total surprise to us when I gave birth. When he was born, he looked me right in the eyes and I immediately felt an energy and connection that...
Charity boxing match to take place in Lincoln Park
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2024 (Chicago, IL) – Forget silent auctions or fancy galas – a different kind of charity event is hitting Chicago. Real Estate Rumble, a charity boxing event, will take place at Park West in Lincoln Park on Thursday, May 16. Sponsored by Vesta Preferred Realty,...
Annika’s story: From older sister to lifelong advocate
**This story was submitted via #MyDsStory and won the contest! Written by our guest writer, Annika Soderfelt Aaron, my little brother, has Down syndrome, and he is one of my best friends. He is only three years younger than I am, and the last almost 23 years with him have shaped...
April 2024 Newsletter
See all the great ways our GiGi's network is reaching out.... FREE PROGRAMS 59 LOCATIONS GLOBAL ACCEPTANCE Website|Volunteer|Support GiGi’s Playhouse receives $2 million MacKenzie Scott grant! Have you heard the news?!? GiGi’s Playhouse was awarded a $2 million grant by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving! With over 6,300 nonprofits...
GiGiFIT Movement Tracker Helps Build Daily Wellness Habits
by Kim Hanna It’s a universal issue: most of us struggle to build fitness into our daily lives. In theory, it sounds easy, and it is...until life happens. We get busy, priorities shift, and tasks that were once daily routine get pushed to the back burner. As parents, we naturally...
GiGi’s Playhouse receives groundbreaking $2 million MacKenzie Scott grant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 10, 2024 – GiGi’s Playhouse, the only network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, has been awarded a $2 million grant by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving. With over 6,300 nonprofits applying, GiGi’s was one of only 361 organizations selected to win the prestigious grant. Originally, GiGi’s...
My Great Aunt Joanie
This story was submitted via #MyDsStory. Submit your story here before April 11 and have a chance to win $250 for you and your Playhouse. Written by our guest writer, Claire Parker My Great Aunt Joanie was born in Dillon, SC in 1950 with a third copy of her twenty-first...
GiGi’s Playhouse 1:1 Literacy Tutoring Program Pairs Perfectly with March National Reading Month!
Don’t you just love that phonemic alliteration!! Program Pairs Perfectly! Learning to read opens doors to inclusion in the classroom, workplace and community. We know that visuals are key when teaching individuals with Down syndrome, so it is not surprising that reading visual language is often a strength for our...
GiGi’s Playhouse announces partnership with HYROX
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2024 – In celebration of World Down Syndrome Day, GiGi’s Playhouse, the only network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, has partnered with HYROX America, the world’s fastest-growing fitness race. This affiliation will make GiGi’s Playhouse the Official National Charity Partner of HYROX America. As part...
GiGi’s Playhouse Invites Families, Schools, and Corporate America to: Take the iacceptyou.org Pledge on World Down Syndrome Day
As World Down Syndrome Day approaches on March 21st, GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, a global leader in the Down syndrome community, is calling upon people worldwide to visit www.IAcceptYou.org and take the #GenerationG pledge. I Promise to be #GenerationG. I will make a conscious decision to be better every...
March 2024 Newsletter
See all the great ways our GiGi's network is breaking barriers.... FREE PROGRAMS 59 LOCATIONS GLOBAL ACCEPTANCE Website|Volunteer|Support World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is observed annually on March 21st. It was first observed in 2006 in many countries and officially recognized by the United Nations in 2012. The date,...