March 2021 Newsletter

GiGi’s Playhouse is launching the GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge as part of our World Down Syndrome Day celebration!

Beginning 3/21, we’re calling on people worldwide to MOVE for acceptance. Join one million of our closest friends as we work together to make the world a more accepting place for individuals of all abilities!

When you join the MOVEment, don’t forget to share on social so everyone you know can join too – whether you walk, run, lift, play sports, swim – we’re asking you to get out there and MOVE!

#WorldDownSyndromeDay #MoveForAcceptance

Visit the site to:

Register as an individual

Join your local playhouse event or the national event

Create a personal Acceptance Challenge for your own social circle to join!

Be on the lookout for more communication from your local GiGi’s Playhouse about events in your area!

Register for the GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge

Introducing the i have a voice dancers!

They are more than a diagnosis. They are warriors. They should be accepted, respected, and loved. This World Down Syndrome Day, the i have a voice dancers have a message for everyone. See them for who they are. This is a performance that should not be missed. Watch it now!

Just a year ago, we were serving families in two countries – the United States and Mexico. Today, after launching this much-needed virtual platform when families were faced with a 24/7 diagnosis and a global pandemic, we’re reaching families in 48 countries!

GiGi’s At Home is here to stay! From giving parents and caretakers the option to jump online when they can’t make it to their local Playhouse due to scheduling conflicts to creating a community where we simply don’t have an in-person location yet, we’re proud to offer more families than ever FREE therapeutic and educational programs!

We’re constantly adding new options to GiGi’s At Home to provide more variety and options! We’re excited to announce a new partnership with People Like Us, which will offer drama classes from ages five through adulthood! We’re currently piloting this program.

Check out a family favorite GiGi’s At Home program, Destination Discovery!

Join us on Friday, April 9 for Destination Discovery! This class supports the development of fine motor skills, gross motor skills, social skills, and language through purposeful play and peer-to-peer interaction. Ms. Shannon from GiGi’s Playhouse Deerfield will be leading the class alongside special guest volunteers from Bain & Company’s New York team!

Stay tuned for more details and program opportunities!

Visit the GiGi’s At Home website

Check out the latest episodes of our video podcast, A Little Something Extra! Join co-hosts Nancy Gianni and THE GiGi Gianni of GiGi’s Playhouse as they interview everyday people, big-time celebrities, and everyone in between….and uncover each guests’ superpower! You’ll hear personal stories of triumph (and sometimes fear), life lessons, and perhaps even meet their families to see what makes each guest light up! This is a show you don’t want to miss!

Watch Episode 2 with Amanda Booth

Model, advocate and mom Amanda Booth shares the uncertainty and fear she faced when her son was diagnosed with Down syndrome…and how, together, they have overcome adversity and propelled his voice into mainstream media! Together, she and Micah have been in numerous ad campaigns and have graced the cover of Vogue Living, and were featured in Parents and People magazines!

Watch Episode 3 with John McGinley

Nancy and GiGi had the opportunity to chat with the amazing John McGinley to hear fun family anecdotes, how he balances a career in the entertainment industry with being a great dad, and learn how he helps bring awareness to Down syndrome. John is well-known for numerous roles, including fan-favorite Dr. Perry Cox on Scrubs – a role that was just perfect in every way!

Can’t tune in to watch, but want to listen during a workout or commute? You can catch every episode on your favorite streaming platform!

Follow A Little Something Extra on Instagram @alittlesomethingextrapodcast

Through the trials and tribulations of the pandemic, we are so grateful to our network. Each and every Playhouse team has leaned in to support families in new, creative ways to ensure that they were never alone during such a scary time, and our start-up teams have persisted as well! We’re excited to share that we have FOUR grand openings coming up!

Saturday, March 20 – GiGi’s Playhouse Long Island

April – GiGi’s Playhouse Miami

May – GiGi’s Playhouse Sacramento

Summer 2021 – GiGi’s Playhouse Denver

Our network has not only survived, but we have thrived! Funding has been down due to the cancellation of so many events, but the support of our families is UP! We have been here for our families through in-person programming and now through GiGi’s at Home – and we continue to grow every day! Thank you to our amazing network for your tenacity and persistence! We are #BetterTogether

We need you!

GiGi’s Playhouse is 99% volunteer-run, and we need your help to continue to offer our FREE purposeful programming. If you are interested in volunteering with programs, administrative, events or more please complete the volunteer interest form and RSVP to attend an upcoming Volunteer Orientation!

March 25 @ 5pm CST   RSVP HERE
April 13 @ 5pm CST   RSVP HERE
April 29 @ 5pm CST   RSVP HERE

Before COVID, we were in two countries. Now, since we have continued to evolve, we are currently serving families in more than 45 countries around the world because of our GiGi’s At Home virtual education platform that launched just 13 days after the shutdown! Talk about a COVID silver lining! Check out this blog by Chief Belief Officer, Nancy Gianni, about the incredible challenges and triumphs we faced, and find out how we turned 2020 into a true COVID silver lining that is propelling us into the future.

Check out the full blog!

Ryan Fitzpatrick

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