Volunteers of the Month – Evan & Jake
Some volunteers show up. Others show up and change the room the moment they walk in. Evan and Jake do exactly that. From their very first day at GiGi’s Playhouse Cleveland, these two have brought energy, compassion, and genuine friendship to our GiGiFIT Kids program, and we are beyond proud to honor them as our Volunteers of the Month.
From First Visit to Weekly Impact
Jake first came to GiGi’s through GiGiFIT just to “check it out,” with his cousin Oakley, but it didn’t take long before he found his place. What stood out most to him was working with James and Cameron and getting to help in a way that felt natural and meaningful. “I feel like I’m helping Cam do things that others can’t always get him to do,” Jake shared. “Maybe because I’m closer in age, it feels more like we’re friends.” As sessions progressed, they ARE friends and he is very clear about that.
Evan’s first impression was just as powerful. “It was really cool,” he said. “I like a lot of people with Down syndrome in the classroom. GiGiFIT is really fun, and I like watching people grow.”
.
A Place to Belong
For Evan and Jake, GiGi’s Playhouse is simply a place where they belong. When asked what they love most, Evan put it best: “It’s just a fun place to be.” For Jake, the joy comes from “helping around and helping people get better at the things they’re doing.” Through their time at GiGi’s, they’ve seen firsthand how the Playhouse helps friends with Down syndrome grow stronger, communicate with confidence, and feel comfortable being exactly who they are. “It helps them stay fit and feel more comfortable communicating,” Evan shared. “The helpers make people with Down syndrome feel more comfortable, too.” Jake added, “They can do a lot of things! And, it’s tailored to what their bodies can do.”
Their Aunt Summer, who brings them each week, shares: “The moment Evan and Jake get in the car after GiGiFIT, they ALWAYS share what their partners’ Best of All were, for her to then text their friend’s parents. It’s always something different; they always hype them up and really evaluate what was best. The boys SEE their friends with Down syndrome.”
Their understanding of Best of All reflects that same heart. To Evan, it means celebrating “a person’s best thing of the day,” while Jake sees it as focusing on the positives and what someone did really well. That belief comes to life in how they encourage our participants each week. Their kindness extends far beyond the Playhouse walls, too. If they see someone with Down syndrome at school, the store, or the playground, their instinct is simple: be kind. Say hi. Invite them to play. Offer a fist bump. Small gestures, they know, can create powerful moments of belonging.
When asked about their favorite memory at GiGi’s, both boys pointed back to the beginning during their very first day. For Evan, it was his first experience at the Playhouse. For Jake, it was meeting all the kids and realizing just how “cool” they all were. Those first moments weren’t just memories; they were the start of friendships that continue to grow every single week.
Their Aunt Summer further shares: “I’ve been in awe of Evan and Jake from the moment they were born. They are incredibly talented in so many ways – academics, athletics, and so much in between. But getting to witness how they work with our friends at GiGiFIT has been especially meaningful to me. Even more touching than seeing their natural, helpful, and engaging demeanor is hearing how they talk about the kids when no one else is around. I’m lucky enough to have dinner with them before GiGiFIT each week and spend the 20-minute drive there and back listening to their conversations. They talk about how their friends are improving, how amazing they think each one is, and who they’re excited to see – which is every single child, every single week. They’ll even tell me when it was ‘a great one’ and give so much credit to the program leads and assists.”
One week during musical chairs, Summer shares that Nolan, who usually watches, smiles, and observes, got up and started running for the very first time when Evan and Jake were there. “All of us adults were completely surprised because he had never done that before. I truly believe that their encouragement and seeing them actively participate helped Nolan better understand the game, and made it look exciting and fun. From that day on, he continued to participate each week. On the way home after that specific program, I tried to explain to the boys how meaningful their presence is and how much of a difference they are making. They were very humble and hesitant to accept the compliment, but the smiles on their faces showed that they understood. The light of this community has truly touched them, and it’s beautiful to witness. I am so proud of them.”
Their Ripple Effect
Their presence has made a measurable difference in our programming. GiGiFIT Program Coordinator Erin shared: “Having Jake and Evan volunteer with GiGiFIT Kids has truly been such a gift to our programming. They both have the natural ability to connect with any kind of person they encounter, in the most authentic and genuine way. Jake will work one-on-one with our littles, celebrating every single step they take through the obstacle course. Evan will notice when someone is having an emotional moment, get on their level, and help re-focus them. They show up eagerly each week and are invested in the growth of all of our participants.”
She added, “From the moment they walk in until the moment they leave, they make all of our GiGiFIT participants, their peers, feel seen and celebrated.”
Parents see this impact too. Cam’s dad shared, “The boys get so excited to see Cam every week. We walk in, and they immediately greet him saying, ‘HEY CAM!’ and off Cam goes to hang with his friends.”
Rocco’s mom echoed those sentiments: “Ever since Rocco started at GiGiFIT, Evan and Jake have been dedicated volunteers. It is clear that they genuinely want to be there and truly enjoy working with the kids. They have already made a lasting impact – not only as enthusiastic helpers, but as incredible role models.”
When asked why they return week after week, their answers say it all. Evan loves “playing with all the people and helping them get better at what they do.” Jake said, “It’s fun to help the kids grow and to hang out with them.”
They also hope more kids their age will step into volunteerism. As Jake shared, “If you’re good with kids and like helping, it’s cool.”
Recent Posts
