Meet Kiera- a Hugs & Mugs success story!

Kiera is a long time participant at GiGi’s Playhouse, participating in a variety of programs like GiGiFIT Adult, Fantastic Friends, GiGiU, GiGi Professionals, and GiGi Ambassadors.

Kiera first joined us over 8 years ago when she began her Career Development Journey. She started GiGiU with the goal of becoming employed and her goal has now been accomplished! Kiera is currently employed at Gerry’s Cafe in Arlington Heights, specializing in making pastries and sandwiches. Gerry’s Cafe has a mission to employ individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through their cafe, they aim to build relationships, build confidence, and build connections.

At Gerry’s, Kiera is using the skills learned during her time at GiGi’s in our Career Development programs everyday! In GiGiU, Kiera learned to create a resume, and learned valuable interviewing skills that helped her to land her job. In Hugs & Mugs and GiGi Professionals, Kiera learned customer service skills, money counting, following jobs from a task list, coffee making, how to open/close a store, being on time, and SO much more.

Since joining us, Kiera has delivered a handful of speeches at multiple GiGi’s events such as the National Golf Outing, GiGiFEST, and the National Conference. She now comes into the Playhouse on Thursday afternoons and answers the phones for the Hoffman Team! Kiera does volunteer outreach, program participation outreach, transfers incoming phone calls, and greets people coming into the Playhouse during her Thursday afternoons with us.

Kiera is a bright, friendly, outgoing, and positive light to have in the Playhouse each week! She is a very hard worker, who just wants to do a good job. Individuals with Down syndrome, like Kiera, are employable, yet 80% of people with disabilities are unemployed. The Career Development Programs at GiGi’s Playhouse aim to shrink that number by providing FREE career training to adults with Down syndrome