Posts by htonak
A Journey Back to Where We Started: Meet Our Executive Director
I started my journey with the Playhouse in the Fall of 2015, but for the real story of when my journey with GiGi’s Playhouse started, you can go here. I led the Playhouse through opening in January of 2016 through the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020. With a bustling Playhouse and the hopes…
Read MoreDreams Do Come True
Nolan is a 6-year-old aspiring news anchor who happens to have Down syndrome. While he has yet to see an individual with Down syndrome reporting the news, he is no stranger to being in a news story. It was through an August Positively Fort Wayne segment about Food Truck Wednesdays at GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Wayne…
Read MoreLook How Far We’ve Come!
On October 21, 2015, GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Wayne began construction on our Playhouse. Shambaugh & Son, Vintage Archonics, and hundreds of donors believed in the vision and made this empty and lifeless retail space into a purposeful space filled with opportunities, hope, and celebration. Over a dozen prenatal diagnoses have come to our Playhouse with…
Read MoreA Star Is Born
Sara started coming to GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Wayne in 2018 and is a proud GiGi University graduate. She enjoys everything about GiGi’s Playhouse. Sara likes making smoothies for customers at GiGi’s Genesis Health Bar and coming up with new recipe ideas. She can often be found giggling with her friend and fellow GiGi U graduate,…
Read MoreGiGi’s Playhouse Receives Special Grant
On September 8th, GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Wayne was awarded $5,000 from the James Davis Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne during the 100th year celebration at the Embassy Theater. This grant is designated for a special event/field trip for the participants at our Playhouse. The James Davis Trust was established by…
Read MoreA BEAUtiful Life
Our first guest blogger of 2022 is Jessica aka Beau’s mom! We first met Jessica and her beautiful family while Beau was still in the womb! GiGi’s Playhouse was their first point of contact after receiving a diagnosis that their son had a 90% chance of being born with Trisomy 21. They came to us…
Read MoreSafety First!
Greetings GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Wayne Community! Based on the latest information and guidance from our national office and public health officials, we have decided to suspend all programming, events and volunteer orientations at GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Wayne until further notice. We are not aware of any individuals connected to the Playhouse who have had exposure…
Read MoreRead Across America Week
Our Executive Director was invited to be a guest reader during Covington Elementary’s Read Across America Week celebration. Knowing that Bethany loves children, our Executive Director asked her to come along. After doing introductions, Bethany, decided that she would be the one to read 47 Strings to the three classes. 47 Strings, a wonderful book…
Read MoreCertified Awesome
The GiGi’s Career Development Programs are progressive learning programs designed to motivate adults with Down syndrome. Through these programs, individuals achieve their highest potential through goal-development, wellness, career skills, community engagement and meaningful work opportunities. To enhance career skills, CaS, from King Arthur’s Trolley, provided ServSafe training to our Ambassadors from GiGi’s Genesis Health Bar!…
Read MoreA Spooktacular Month of Purposeful Programs
It’s Down Syndrome Awareness Month and we are packing the Playhouse calendar with purposeful programs and our 3rd Annual Spooktacular event! Please look at the many programs we have running at the Playhouse and be sure to RSVP! Your RSVP allows us to properly plan materials and the amount of volunteers needed. Just click on the…
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