![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/cincinnati\/files\/2020\/05\/Copy-of-STA-Social-2.jpg\")
Due to COVID-19,\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse locations have\u00a0recently had to cancel more than 50 events and suspend\u00a0many\u00a0free programs.\u00a0Families were devastated\u2014but\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse has bounced back!<\/p>\nDue to COVID-19,\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse locations have\u00a0recently had to cancel more than 50 events and suspend\u00a0many\u00a0free programs.\u00a0Families were devastated\u2014but\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse has bounced back!<\/p>\n
The\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse\u00a0team thought\u00a0a lot\u00a0about how\u00a0they could keep their families engaged with\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse in a virtual world. And so, the Step to Accept challenge was born!<\/p>\n
Step to Accept is a virtual run, walk or bike ride to keep\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse supporters united and active, while also continuing to raise money for the Playhouses.<\/p>\n
The goal\u00a0of Step to Accept is to amass seven\u00a0million steps, which is enough to span the entire United States. With each step, people pledge to accept\u00a0other\u00a0people\u00a0as they are.<\/p>\n
Step to Accept is already a success! Within days of launching this first-ever network-wide virtual event, more than 1,000 people were registered and more than $100,000 had already been raised!<\/p>\n
All money raised from Step to Accept will go directly to\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse to enable the not-for-profit to continue its mission to provide free, life-changing therapeutic and educational programs for people with Down syndrome.<\/p>\n
Nancy Gianni, GiGi\u2019s Playhouse founder, can\u2019t wait to see people show their support of GiGi\u2019s Playhouse through Step to Accept. \u201cThis goes beyond individuals with Down syndrome,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been fighting for acceptance since we first conceived GiGi\u2019s Playhouse in 2002. Every step matters because every life matters, which is why our initial goal is seven million steps\u2014but we would love to hit 50 million steps, which is the amount of steps it takes to walk around the world spreading our message of acceptance.\u201d
\nStep to Accept is open to both teams and individual participants.\u00a0Teams can include family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates and anyone else you can think of!<\/p>\n
The registration cost is $21 per adult and $10 per child (age 12 and under).\u00a0This includes virtual coaching, as well as a fitness tracking app for\u00a0monitoring and recording steps.<\/p>\n
Step to Accept will begin on Saturday, June 6 at 11:00 a.m. CST with warm-ups and inspirational remarks. The \u201cstepping\u201d will then begin at 11:15 a.m.<\/p>\n
Together, we will make history as 60\u00a0GiGi\u2019s\u00a0Playhouse locations and start-ups unite. Every step taken and every dollar raised says, \u201cI can and will accept you as you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
To register a team or yourself, or to make a donation, please visit\u00a0StepToAccept.org.<\/p>\n
Every step helps change the way the world sees Down syndrome and sends a global message of acceptance for\u00a0all!\u00a0Every step matters because every life matters. Now let\u2019s get\u00a0steppin\u2019!<\/p>\n