From our Founder: GiGi’s Goes to the Olympics

Hello Awesome GiGi’s Network!

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!

Watch the Podcast Episode featuring Elana

YOUR advocacy = POWER!

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.

Learn more about Down syndrome
Learn more about #GenerationG

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”

– Wendell Davis (Chicago Bears)

Watch the special episode

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.

Find an Acceptance Challenge Near You

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.

March 5, 2022
8-12:45PT / 9-1:45MT / 10-2:45CT / 11-3:45ET
Virtual Presentation

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

Take the Pledge Today!

Help Support Our Free Programs

Volunteer of the Year- Anna Bruce

November 16, 2022

Like many families involved with GiGi’s Playhouse, Anna Bruce found GiGi’s when her son, Camden, was born with Down syndrome. She was part of a group of people in the Southern Tier, New York, who led a pop-up Playhouse idea… but after a phone call in 2017, they ultimately realized...

My brother Winston

October 25, 2022

A Down Syndrome Awareness Month Entry, submit your story here. ———- Submitted by Tamara I am #7 of 10 kids. My oldest sister lived one day. The next child, Winston, was born with a severe case of Down syndrome. He is non-verbal, highly dependent, and had heart surgery to save...

Truist Financial Creates Meaningful Change

October 20, 2022

GiGi’s Playhouse was blessed to have a new National Sponsor, Truist Financial, partner with us for GiGiFit Acceptance Challenge (GFAC) in 2022. Truist believes their environmental, social, and corporate governance contributions are more than a responsibility—they’re an opportunity to fulfill our purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities....

From our Founder: GiGi’s Goes to the Olympics

Volunteer of the Year- Anna Bruce

My brother Winston

Truist Financial Creates Meaningful Change

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