It is always such a blessing to get the opportunity to address everyone at all 61 GiGi’s Playhouse locations and start-ups, and the people who support them! In this update you will see how GiGi’s was represented by an amazing athlete at the winter Olympics in Beijing, hear from GiGi about what it means to have Down syndrome, learn about our Educator Symposium, and see how we have the power to create change when we all work together! You will also learn how innovation, acceptance, and our new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives are helping us achieve our mission… even at a pediatric conference in Tehran, next week! (Read the recap story in our blog next week at gigisplayhouse.org.)
Thank you for all that you do to help us serve our families! We couldn’t do it without you!
Love,
P.S. – We are now serving families in 81 countries!
American Olympic Bobsledder and GiGi’s Playhouse Ambassador, Elana Meyers Taylor, won the silver medal in Beijing’s Women’s Monobob event! We were thrilled that she wore the GiGi’s Playhouse logo on her official helmet to promote Down syndrome awareness. Watch Elena on “A Little Something Extra” with Nancy Gianni and the GiGi!
FACT: Alzheimer’s disease is the #1 killer in adults with Down syndrome. FACT: A promising new class of Alzheimer’s Disease treatments is in development now. FACT: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are considering a plan to EXCLUDE individuals with Down syndrome from coverage!With the help of people like you, the Down syndrome community had a voice in this matter! More than 10,000 individual comments were submitted on the CMS website on behalf of the excluded groups.
YOUR continued action and advocacy are more important than ever.
YOUR advocacy = OUR POWER!
This was a collaborative effort with GiGi’s, NDSS, NDSC, LuMind, DSAIA, DSMIGUSA, Global, and ntg! We are excited to continue to work with all of these organizations to give our families a voice and stop the discrimination.
Down syndrome 101: GiGi Gianni, our Chief Inspiration Officer, tells us in her words what it means to have Down syndrome. Over 450,000 individuals with Down syndrome live in the US. Including affected parents and siblings, that means over 2 million people face this diagnosis every single day. We need to bring awareness and acceptance to everyone’s homes and communities.
Want to do more? Did you know GiGi’s Playhouse is 99% volunteer-run, and we provide FREE therapeutic and educational programs to thousands of families across the country? Click here to volunteer or to make a donation.
It’s official! Season two of “A Little Something Extra” is dropping this spring! Check out this sneak peek featuring former Chicago Bears star Wendell Davis!
“I always say, give love away. If you’re going to love someone, give it away. Don’t expect anything in return. Just give it away because then that’s true love. If you’re loving someone because you’re expecting something back, you’re doing it wrong”
Many great events are on the horizon, including the GiGi’s Playhouse National Gala in Chicago hosted by the lovely GiGi and actress and model, Amanda Booth. To be a part of a gala or another fantastic event in your area and other fantastic events, click here to find a Playhouse near you.
We challenge you to move for acceptance! You’re invited to participate in GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge, beginning on World Down Syndrome Day (March 21) through June 12, 2022.
GiGi’s continues to innovate to increase efficiencies for the families and the Playhouses. Our latest innovation combines three highly sophisticated pieces of software. The redesigned GiGi’s calendar and the launching of the My GiGi’s platform laid the foundation for building a truly integrated GiGi’s experience for our families and Playhouses.
Loved ones can now easily access, look up, and sign up for programs all at one time, in one place. We took three disparate data sources and integrated them into one, allowing the Playhouses to manage Playhouse program participation and family information efficiently.
Join a team of experienced educators and therapists from across the GiGi’s Playhouse Network for this virtual event and learn how to teach individuals with Down syndrome the way they learn best. We encourage the families we serve to invite their teachers, paraprofessionals, and therapists.
The #GenerationG community has more than 250,000 members who have taken the pledge for global acceptance! Check out our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives for schools, the community, and the work place!
Step One: Take the Pledge Step Two: Draw a heart with a G in the center in the palm of your hand Step Three: Take a selfie with your GenG hand Step Four: Post your selfie to social media, tag #gigisplayhouse #GenerationG
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS NEWS FREE PROGRAMS 62 LOCATIONS GLOBAL ACCEPTANCE A word from our Founder, Nancy Gianni Hello GiGi's Change Makers! So many amazing things are happening across the GiGi's Playhouse network! But before we dive into all the good, I need to take a moment to talk about something deeply...
May 2025 Newsletter
May 13, 2025
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS NEWS FREE PROGRAMS 61 LOCATIONS GLOBAL ACCEPTANCE A word from our Founder, Nancy Gianni Hello GiGi's Change Makers! It's happening again… we're opening another Playhouse! And this one marks an incredible milestone: our 62nd GiGi's Playhouse! In fact, as you read this, GiGi and I are on the...
The 62nd Playhouse: GiGi’s Playhouse Charleston marks a new beginning
May 13, 2025
Unlimited. Underestimated. Unapologetic. At GiGi’s Playhouse, we believe in the power of potential, not just in the individuals with Down syndrome we serve but also in the communities that can bring our mission to life. The opening of GiGi’s Playhouse Charleston, our 62nd Playhouse to open, is a perfect example....
