Posts by Candi Medeiros

When I think about 23-year-old Adin, I see him on stage at Fantastic Friends on a Friday night. But, unlike most everyone else, Adin isn’t singing karaoke to one of his favorite songs. No, he is dancing with his mom, Laura, and as happy as can be. You see, Adin isn’t very verbal, so singing…

The 2025 GiGi’s “We’re Going to Prom” Gala was a fantastic success. The Hilton was decorated, well, “to the Hilt” and the event was better than any prom we attended in high school. No cliques, no acne, no chaperones keeping hooligans away from the punchbowl – just a fantastic crowd of nearly 400 people who…

At GiGi’s Playhouse, I meet a wide range of participants. I’ve met individuals with Down syndrome as young as three weeks old and adults in their 50s. Some are outgoing and very easy to get to know, including a few that would put Dale Carnegie to shame! And then there are participants like 27-year-old Brian,…

If the Food Network ever needs a new on-air personality, let this serve as my nomination for Steven — our resident connoisseur and our favorite “foodie”. Steven loves to help plan our Tuesday GiGi’s Kitchen menus, which can be a challenge because our courses are all vegan and nut-free. But Steven enjoys the challenge. (His…

It’s Girl Scout Cookie season again, and two sisters in Grimes came up with a clever marketing idea to help them toward their goal of selling 810 boxes of those delightful treats by involving a cause near and dear to them. When seven-year-old Leah and eight-year-old Kaylee started their cookie drive this year, they invited…

This is seven-year-old Addi. It took this picture of her at GiGi’s with Sam Addi’s Aunt Natalie. Addi is the first GiGi’s Participant that I ever met — on a day of several other firsts. It was my FIRST day on the job, my FIRST GiGi’s event (the annual Friends of GiGi’s Golf Outing at…

This is the whiteboard that sits on the counter of GiGi’s kitchen. Each Tuesday, it displays the menu that the adult participants of GiGi’s Kitchen will prepare and have for lunch. But if you look a bit closer at the menu planned for this day, you’ll see that it’s more than meets the eye. We…

GiGi’s Playhouse is proud to serve more than 200 participants each month that tally more than 400 hours in programs like new family caregivers group, one-on-one tutoring and fitness classes. This helps us realize our mission to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all.…

I grew up in a great neighborhood, filled with kids my age (to go along with my six brothers and sisters). We were lucky to have a vacant lot right next to us which served as a Kinnik Stadium, Wrigley Field, the Summer Olympics, or even the State Fair midway – whatever we could dream…