New Parent Packets Available at local hospitals & clinics

After surveying families of what information they were given at the time of their child’s birth and diagnosis of Down syndrome we found that most parents were given little to no information (some received Xerox copies from the internet, others were given some web links to check out and others were given no information at all). We thought about what you should receive during the diagnosis and applied for a grant through Variety Club! Thankfully they answered our prayers and funding request to purchase books and to make a GiGi’s Playhouse New Parent Guide Packet for over 200 new families in the Des Moines area.  After a year of our employees and volunteers gathering information, double checking, inputting growth charts, needed information, photos, and family letters we have ACHIEVED our goal!

On Tuesday, May 15, we delivered the GiGi’s Playhouse New Parent Packets to area Hospitals & Clinics! Thank You to the Variety Club for granting us the 2011 Grant to secure the materials to accomplish this for our families! Thank You to our Volunteers and Employees for countless hours of help. Thank You to the Hospitals and Clinics for giving this information to the families who need it.

The New Parent Packet WELCOMES each families new baby into the world with a great big CONGRATULATIONS, introduces them to GiGi’s Playhouse, invites them to all of our free programming and events, along with information about Down syndrome from birth on up. We are very excited to see how these New Parent Packets positively affect the Des Moines Area Down syndrome Family Community.

What a wonderful way that we are spreading Down syndrome Awareness right from the start! We look forward to working with the Variety Club and area Physicians in the near future. We can’t wait to hear from our New Families!