One year and counting

On July 29, 2017, GiGi’s Playhouse Down syndrome Achievement Center of Fort Myers officially opened its doors.  After years of dedication, hard work, and fundraising the dream finally came true.  Participants and their families as well as our volunteers have made supportive connections, found strength for personal growth, and have learned so much from our awesome volunteers!  GiGi’s Playhouse encourages and supports the goals that our participants dream of achieving.  The outpouring of support from our surrounding community has confirmed that we are bringing Generation G outside our doors as we see more and more people of all ages committing to Be Accepting. Be Generous. Be Kind.

Here, a few of our families who were part of the Start-Up Team tell us what GiGi’s has meant to them over the past year:

“GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Myers has now been open and serving our community for an entire year and it has truly been magical. During this time, I have seen families of newborns being welcomed with open arms, parents seeking knowledge on how to better help their child in school, mothers bonding over shared stories, volunteers going above and beyond to make each individual feel special and loved, adults making new friendships, and best of all a community coming together to help spread our mission to change the narrative of Down syndrome! I feel honored to share in this journey with all of the GiGi’s Playhouse family as it has been a great place of support for me in the most challenging days but also because it is a place to celebrate each and every mile stone that we are going through with people who just get it! I am more than excited to see how much we will grow in the next year and cannot wait to see how our adult programming expands to fit their needs and career goals!”   -Angela Rosenberg

“Gigi’s Playhouse has completely changed our lives.  It’s a place that my daughter learns effortlessly because it’s fun!  It’s become a second home to our entire family, and the love and support that the Playhouse is receiving from the community still astonishes me.  What surprises me the most, is that we’ve been able to do all of this in one year.  It’s incredible.”   -Samantha Nunez

“While it was incredible in so many ways (incredibly joyful, fun, hard, exhausting, worth it) to see GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Myers go from a vacant office space to what we have today, it pales in comparison to the heart-swelling growth we have seen in the year since we opened our doors.  New friends, smiles, true growth of spirit, community awareness and love have bloomed here.  I am in awe looking back over just one year.  Personally, what I have found the most surprising is the personal growth I myself have experienced working with Team GiGi’s behind the scenes.  We talk a lot about Generation G and I have recently come to realize how important always striving to be your Best of All is for people with Down syndrome and for everyone everywhere!  Greater acceptance, teamwork, digging deep for strength, focusing on a common goal has made me a better person in small and still building ways.  I look forward to seeing what GiGi’s Playhouse of Fort Myers can do for people with Down syndrome, our community (and maybe even me) in the coming year and beyond!”  -Clare Cronin

We are excited to see what awaits us in our second year and beyond! We are hard at work planning new programs and events, and look forward to meeting new friends.  We hope that you will join us on this wonderful adventure.

First, please join us in celebration of our first anniversary on Saturday, July 28  from 3 to 5pm at the Playhouse. We have quite an afternoon planned to mark this occasion!  All are welcome!  There will be activities, refreshments, a book signing by Megan O’Halloran, author of Up Syndrome, a raffle for eight awesome gifts, a bake sale and more!  We look forward to seeing everyone!