Participant Spotlight: Somer Shares the GiGi’s Playhouse Mission with Her Community
Somer Presenting the check donation from her church women's group. Somer has been a participant at GiGi's Playhouse since she was a baby-over 22 years now-and participates in GiGi Prep, Games with Friends, GiGi's Dance, GiGi's Kitchen, and more! At GiGi's Playhouse, our participants inspire us every day—not only through...
Thank You For An Incredible 5K!
What an incredible day! Thanks to the generosity, enthusiasm, and dedication of our amazing community, this year's GiGi's Playhouse 5K was a tremendous success. Together, we raised more than $100,000 to support free educational, therapeutic, and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Every registration, donation, sponsorship, and...
National Speech-Language-Hearing Month
In honor of National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, read about Nathaniel's Best of All! Nathanial is a dedicated and enthusiastic participant in the Amina Grace Speech and Language Program. Each week, he arrives with his mother ready to learn and engage, demonstrating a strong commitment to his growth. Recently, Nathanial has been preparing for an upcoming dentist...
Walk, Run, Belong: Supporting Families Like KC’s
For the past 10 years, GiGi’s Playhouse has been a second home for the Dallmeyer family. Their son KC and his twin sister Catherine first entered our doors at just 6 weeks old, during a time filled with uncertainty, exhaustion, and overwhelming emotions following KC’s surprise diagnosis of Down syndrome....
Where Awareness Takes Flight: A Special World Down Syndrome Day Celebration!
We want to highlight a truly special World Down Syndrome Day celebration that brought joy, awareness, and unforgettable moments to one of the busiest places in the world! A group of our talented GiGi’s Playhouse dancers had the incredible opportunity to showcase their skills at O’Hare Airport in partnership with...
Celebrating Our Volunteers! National Volunteer Week 2026!
At GiGi’s Playhouse, we are able to offer all of our purposeful programs completely FREE thanks in large part to the dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy, and expertise day in and day out. Quite simply, the impact we make would not be possible without them. On any given...
GiGi’s and Midwestern University-Purposeful Partnership
The Hoffman Estates Playhouse has just partnered with Midwestern University. We are pleased to have an SLP graduate student, Rachael, who will be receiving her clinical practicum with us from March-May before she starts her career as a speech-language pathologist. She has a strong interest in AAC, expressive and receptive language, pragmatic...
GiGi’s 5K-Dash for Down Syndrome
The annual GiGi's 5K is more than just a race — it is a celebration of inclusion, community, and the incredible strength of coming together for a shared purpose. This fun and inclusive event invites people of all ages and abilities to participate in a 5K fun run, 1-mile walk,...
GiGi Professionals In The Community
This past week, Hugs & Mugs had the incredible opportunity to attend an inclusive craft fair at District 214. It was a day filled with connection, creativity, and community. We were proud to set up our booth and showcase a variety of merchandise from our store. From handmade items to customer favorites, it was exciting...
Best Of All: Malti’s Story
At GiGi’s Playhouse, every milestone matters—and today, we are thrilled to celebrate a very special one. In honor of World Down Syndrome Day, we’re recognizing Malti, who is celebrating his one-year anniversary as a participant at the Playhouse! Like so many of our participants, his journey is a powerful reminder...
Volunteer Highlight: Debbie-A Decade of Dedication!
At GiGi’s Playhouse, our volunteers are the heart of everything we do. Their time, energy, and compassion help create the welcoming community our families know and love. Today, we are thrilled to spotlight one of our longest-serving and most dedicated volunteers — Debbie! Debbie has been a part of the...
The Amazing Impact of the Amina Grace Speech Language Program
Jeremiah just started speech this session and finally got his AAC device set up! Mom came to Regina, our Speech Language Pathologist, at the end of last session and mentioned that she had a device that she needed assistance setting up and we got started on it right away! We have been working on greetings...