Our First Ever #GenerationG Award Goes To…
Site Director Shannon speaking at Gala Hello! If you don’t know me, I am the Site Director of GiGi’s Playhouse Deerfield and the only employee overseeing our incredible volunteers, programs and participants. Our mission at GiGi’s is to change the way the world views Down syndrome, the kids and adults...
Nonprofits Work Together to Create Heart Safe Space
GiGi’s Playhouse in Deerfield is proud to be working with Big Dreams for Little Hearts on ensuring a heart safe environment for our participants, families and volunteers. Big Dreams for Little Hearts will be donating an AED machine and training to GiGi’s Playhouse on December 30th. GiGi’s niche is supporting...
Why I Trek Through Construction Traffic Every Friday – Chereesca’s Gala Speech
My name is Chereesca Bejasa. It’s a big honor to share my story with you tonight. I’m the proud mom of Bodhi, whom many of you know, and if you don’t, then you must not know Jill Rabin. Seriously, Bodhi appears on her Instagram hundreds of times more than my...
Play With Your Heart – Alexa’s Gala Speech
Hi my name is Alexa Donato. I am the youngest of 3 older siblings, their names are Kara, Michael, and Gianna. I started getting into sports when I was in 5th grade, when I started getting into sports I knew I wanted to keep doing it, because I had so...
You Are EXACTLY Where You Are Meant to Be – Gala Welcome by Alyse
We are heading into our fourth year open and it is so exciting to finally have the opportunity to host such a wonderful event to share with you who we are, why we are here and why the Down syndrome community is alive and thriving! & what better way to...
EDUCATE. Inspire. Believe.
For World Down Syndrome Day last month one of our families asked if we could share our school presentation and activity packet with her to share with her students and girl scout troop. At GiGi's we work hard to prepare our participants for the world with therapeutic and life skills...
Eagle Scout Makes GiGi’s Deerfield ROCK!
Hi, I’m Andrew! Have you seen the gym at GiGi's Playhouse Deerfield? For my Eagle Scout Project we put in a climbing wall and some cool shelving and hooks for the exercise balls and medicine balls in the gym. I had a blast working with fellow scouts, good friends, my...
Gabriela’s Journey in Spanish
"En el año 18 recibí una gran sorpresa estaba embarazada nació mi hija Gabriela diagnosticada con síndrome de down fue triste pero a la vez supe que tenía que luchar muy fuerte no tenía idea por dónde empezar Y entonces me hablaron de. GIGIS fue Cómo abrir una puerta que...
GiGiCon 2021
Once a year we gather together with playhouses all over the country, and Mexico, to share best practices, stories of inspiration, challenges we have faced and overcome, and to learn about new technology and program launches we have to look forward to in the next year. The GiGi’s National Conference...
About Grace
Hi y’all, my name is Grace Spath and I am a junior speech pathology and child development double major from Lake Bluff currently studying at Texas Christian University. I am a SLP intern at GiGi's Deerfield for the summer (and hopefully the summers to come) and have been running our...
New Year and New Board Members
To sustain our mission and our playhouse we look to strong leaders. Our playhouse is governed by a board of directors who manage our fundraising and events, budgeting and program planning, advocacy and community engagement, and more. We're so excited to announce that several new board members have joined our...
National Volunteer of the Year!
Every year in November the playhouses from across the country gather together to share ideas, best practices, and trainings to ensure we are providing the latest and greatest to our families. Although this year was our first virtual conference the impact was just as great. The last day of conference...