10 Years of Powerful Connection

10 Years of Acceptance, Achievement and Belonging

Ten years ago, GiGi’s Playhouse Madison opened its doors with just 25 families and a dream: to create a place where individuals with Down syndrome would be accepted, celebrated, challenged, and empowered to achieve.

Today, as we celebrate turning 10 years old, that dream has grown beyond anything we could have imagined.

What started as a small but passionate community has grown into a thriving Playhouse serving 430 families annually. Over the last decade, together we have built something truly extraordinary — a place filled with friendship, growth, trust, belonging, and countless “Best of All” moments.

As we reflect on the last 10 years, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for every family, volunteer, donor, partner, advocate, and supporter who has shown up for us and believed in our mission.

Because of you, GiGi’s Playhouse Madison has become so much more than a program space.

It has become a home away from home.

A Decade of Impact

Over the last 10 years, together we have accomplished:

• 32,174 total participant check-ins
• 45,386 participant hours
• 2,538 unique volunteers
• 52,461 volunteer hours donated

With the current estimated value of volunteer time at $34.79 per hour, our volunteers have contributed an incredible $1,825,118.19 worth of time, talent, and love to GiGi’s Playhouse Madison.

That number is astounding but the impact behind those hours matters even more.

Those hours represent volunteers helping a participant read their first sentence independently. They represent cheering someone on as they learn to do a plank during GiGiFIT, prepare a recipe, land a job opportunity, improve speech, gain confidence, or build lifelong friendships.

Those hours represent people choosing to show up for acceptance.

Today, we consistently run 14 purposeful and research-based programs, totaling:

• 5,500 annual participant check-ins
• 7,000 annual participation hours
• 7,700 volunteer hours annually

Every single program remains completely free for families because we believe cost should never be a barrier to opportunity.

The Power of Belonging

The numbers tell one story, but the real story is found in the moments happening inside our Playhouse every single day.

It’s watching a participant accomplish something they once thought was impossible because someone believed in them and gave them the chance.

It’s seeing true friendships form.

It’s watching families walk through our doors for the first time and instantly feel like they belong.

It’s hearing parents say they finally found a place where they do not have to explain what they’re experiencing.

It’s watching self-advocates gain confidence, independence, and pride in who they are.

That is why we do what we do.

Over the last decade, we have built deep mutual trust within our community. Families trust us with their children, volunteers trust in our mission, and our supporters trust that every dollar raised is creating meaningful impact.

That trust has allowed us to grow in intentional and sustainable ways.

We are proud to have:

• A strong and dedicated staff team
• Solid volunteer onboarding and training systems
• An incredible Board of Directors
• Mission-driven community partners who continue to invest in our future

Because of this support, GiGi’s Playhouse Madison is now making history.

Building Our Forever Home

This year marks another transformational milestone.

Thanks to the unwavering belief and generosity of our community, GiGi’s Playhouse Madison will become the first Playhouse in the network to build a brand-new Playhouse from the ground up.

We will finish summer programming in our current location before moving this August into our state-of-the-art, 8,000-square-foot forever home.

This new space will allow us to continue offering all of the impactful programming families already know and love, while expanding opportunities in even more meaningful ways.

Our new Playhouse will include:

• A full teaching kitchen
• A gym and movement space
• Multiple learning rooms
• Expanded community gathering spaces
• Outdoor green space
• Extended learning environments designed to help participants thrive

Every detail has been created with our families and participants in mind.

This space represents more than a building, it represents what can happen when a community believes every individual deserves the opportunity to achieve.

Looking Ahead

When we opened our doors 10 years ago, we could not have imagined all that would unfold.

We could not have imagined the friendships formed, the milestones celebrated, the confidence built, the volunteers who would dedicate thousands of hours, or the incredible community that would rally around this mission again and again.

And now, standing on the edge of this exciting next chapter, we cannot even begin to imagine what the next 10 years will bring.

But we know this:

The future is bright because of this community.

To every family, volunteer, donor, partner, advocate, and supporter who has helped build GiGi’s Playhouse Madison over the last decade, thank you!

Thank you for believing in acceptance. Thank you for celebrating achievement. Thank you for helping create a place where every person belongs.

Here’s to the next 10 years!