Seeing Beyond
By: Louise Rita Contino Safia Elizabeth Al-Rawi is twenty-six years old. She spent her childhood with her mother and older brother in the suburbs of Bergen County, New Jersey, and now lives in the Prospects Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. She graduated two years ago from Kingsborough Community College...
Volunteer Spotlight: Martyna!
GiGi's Playhouse is a 98% volunteer run organization. We rely on committed volunteers to deliver our programs so that we can offer them free of charge to our families. Over the course of a year, GiGi's Playhouse NYC engages over 150 different volunteers who give nearly 4,000 hours of their...
Your Child with Trisomy 21 — A Great Night’s Sleep is Possible!
Your Child with Trisomy 21 — A Great Night’s Sleep is Possible! By Melissa Doman Sleep is important for any child, but for your little one with Trisomy 21, it’s especially important! Sleep is actually a vital process for brain growth and development. It’s your child’s time to process, organize...
Volunteer Spotlight: Khushi!
Khushi is an extraordinary volunteer who is pouring tons of dedication, thoughts, time and personal contributions to our new literacy program in Brooklyn! She also serves as a member of the GiGi's Playhouse New York City Associate Board. She has been volunteering at our Brooklyn Satellite for almost a year...
A New Year Means New Beginnings!
To my incredible GiGi’s Family, A new year means a new beginning. I’ve had the privilege to be a part of so many families’ journeys at GiGi’s Playhouse NYC for almost three years - as a volunteer and as staff. Each and every one of you has a special place...
Kill the Apology
By Louise Contino (Originally Published on LinkedIn) Jackie on her graduation day from Bangor High School, c. June 2011 Louise Contino is a long time volunteer at GiGi's Playhouse NYC and currently co-leads TeenTastic and serves on the GiGi's Playhouse NYC Associate Board. She is...
Inclusion- A parent perspective.
It's the last day of Down Syndrome Awareness/Acceptance Month and it has been a month full of advocacy and celebration! At GiGi's Playhouse NYC, we had our 1st Annual Fashion Show presented by Bloomingdale's and our most successful Dancing for Down Syndrome fundraiser ever which raised $40,000 to support our...
Spotlight on Jonah: Dancing for Down Syndrome
Jonah Berger and His Family are Dancing for Down Syndrome A regular at GiGi's Playhouse NYC's Brooklyn Satellite programs over the last few years, Jonah Berger is leading the way in our Dancing for Down Syndrome Fundraiser. To date, the have raised $5,166, which will support GiGi's Playhouse Brooklyn. A...
A volunteer reflection on GiGi’s Playhouse NYC
Meet Kyle Leaps & Bounds Program Leader "Its all work AND all play!" My name’s Kyle Zreibe, I’m a second year physical therapy student at Columbia University and I currently lead Leaps & Bounds at GiGi’s Playhouse NYC. Leaps & Bounds is a program that incorporates...
Volunteer Spotlight: Natasha
¡Hola GiGi's Playhouse NYC! I have been volunteering with GiGi’s Playhouse NYC since September of last year, and the experience has been beyond my highest expectations! I had the pleasure to participate as a volunteer in the Summer Camp at the end of August, where the children were invited...
GiGiPHNYC x Roundabout Theatre Company presents Amy and the Orphans
"Having Down syndrome is like being born normal. I am just like you and you are just like me. We are all born in different ways. That is the way I can describe it. I have a normal life". - Chris Burke, Actor and Self-Advocate As a Latina, it...
MLK Day 2018: The Spirit of Service at GiGi’s Playhouse NYC
Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On the 3rd Monday of January, schools and banks are closed, mail is not delivered and many businesses choose to close, as well. Why is this? We probably all know that it is in observance of the birthday of...