adults with Down syndrome
Every Volunteer has a Story!
The many purposeful FREE programs at GiGi’s Playhouse provide foundational learning opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome, families, and volunteers. In today’s GiGi’s blog, we’d like to tell the story of Nancy Bachmann, a longtime volunteer in GiGi University, as well as showcase the interviewing skills of Brian! Nancy has been with us for a few years and has lots of great insights to share, but we’ll let…
Read MoreMatthew is Making the Rounds!
Hugs and Mugs has been very happy to welcome back Matthew! At 60, he is our oldest intern and has lots of stories to share. He is here from Providence, Rhode Island on his circuit tour around the country to visit all his siblings. He stays with each sibling for a few weeks and gets…
Read MoreVolunteer of the Month: Beth!
A true volunteer’s efforts are incredible and worth so much, but who better to find out more about our volunteer of the month than our GiGi Professional intern, Kiera? She sat down with Beth to interview her and find out more of her story. Here’s how it went… Kiera: What brought you to GiGi’s? Beth:…
Read MoreHard Work Always Pays Off!
Being good at something right away is rare; practice makes progress and that’s all we can ever aspire to. One participant, Samir, has been working really hard to make that progress pay off! Samir has been busy in speech sessions for the last few months working on slowing his speech and making sure his words…
Read MoreCareer Development Spotlight: Catie!
GiGi’s Playhouse provides programs and support for all ages, and some of our ultimate goals are to help individuals with Down syndrome gain motor skills, life skills, and career skills, to name a few. Catie is a graduate of GiGi University and has been working in Hugs and Mugs and learned so many skills. Last…
Read MoreCareer Development Achievement Ceremony!
We had such a special ceremony to recognize all our participants in GiGi U, GiGi Prep, Hugs and Mugs, and GiGi Professional! Throughout all these programs, there has been so much accomplishment and progress to show. We are always working towards tangible skills with focus on boosting career skills, self-confidence, personal wellness, peer and community engagement,…
Read More1:1 Literacy Spotlight: Rose!
Rose came to GiGi’s to develop her communication skills. I was presented with a lovely young lady who was nonverbal, very shy, and heavily dependent on her tablet to assist her in connecting with the world. She even struggled with making eye contact early on. I decided the best way to help Rose was to…
Read MoreGiGi Prep Spotlight: Tayla!
GiGi Prep is a progressive learning program for adults, comprised of modular programs that meet twice a week for 12 weeks that encompass Confident U, Healthy U, and Whole U. The GiGi Prep program emphasizes communication skills, money management, customer service skills, team building, and wellness. This program is an application based program with high…
Read MoreRemembering Nadia
Nadia was a beautiful soul whose life was taken too soon. Family and friends gathered in Hugs & Mugs to celebrate her life. We shared memories and stories of how kind, funny, and thoughtful she was and how her smile could light up any room. Nadia always went out of her way for others. She…
Read More1:1 Math Spotlight: Shizuka!
It’s always the biggest accomplishment when we have a student surpass what anyone expected. Far too often, people believe that it’s too late for adults with Down syndrome to learn and thrive in certain areas of their life. This month, we are highlighting the accomplishments of Shizuka, one of our amazing interns in Hugs and…
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