Inspiration in Mexico

Nancy, GiGi, and the team are spending the next few days at GiGi’s Playhouse Mexico! Catching up on the great work, being inspired and training on the new tools we have to help the impact of the GiGi’s Playhouse free purposeful programs be even greater! Nancy is bursting at the seems to share with us all what happened on their first day!

Words cannot describe the gratitude I have to our GiGi’s Mexico team. Watching kids run into that Playhouse so eager to learn literally overwhelms me! More than 70% of the families in this country cannot afford to pay for the programs/therapy they need for everyday life. They do not get aides or help in school unless they can pay for it, which most cannot. GiGi’s FREE programs are their lifeline and the reason families travel two hours on buses to get there. I am grateful to be here with GiGi and other GiGi team members to train them on new programs and meet all of the families. 

As you may know, October is Down Syndrome Acceptance Month, which we share with many other great causes. Sometimes I feel we get lost in all of it which is why I prefer to fight for Down syndrome every day! I remember when Aubrey, one of our GiGi U graduates, sent me a Facebook message with a desperate plea for help. She told me there was a family in Illinois who adopted 2 boys with DS. In the middle of the night, some mean people spray painted the word “retards” all over their house. She was devastated and said, “I know it is not October but can you help make this stop?”  My heart broke. First, we cannot let people think you only have to be kind to people with DS during October and second Aubrey should not have to see hate written across a house when she’s checking her Facebook page. 

Every day the need for global acceptance becomes more and more apparent. It is so important to celebrate Down Syndrome Acceptance Month but even more important to realize that we have to stay strong and spread acceptance all year long!!!

Thank you for helping to give our kids a voice, not only in October but everyday 365. 

Gracias!!

I hope to see you at GiGiFest this Sunday! GiGi and I will make it home just in time to celebrate 14 years of GiGi’s Playhouse!!

Love, Nancy, and GiGi

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