Double Your Gift this Giving Season

An anonymous donor has committed to match up to $15,000 of your contributions this giving season.

Click here to give what you can, knowing that your gift will be doubled!

“GiGi’s Playhouse means so much more to Isabella than a neighborhood place for after school activities. It has provided Isabella with confidence, social skills and meaningful relationships that we had always hoped for her. Our family is grateful for the significant improvement GiGi’s Playhouse has made in Isabella’s social life.” -Pina, Bella’s mom

Dear Friend and Supporter,

Just 18 months ago, a 9-year-old girl named Isabella wanted to play with some children on the beach. Because Isabella has Down syndrome, her efforts to make friends resulted in the other children not knowing how to respond. Isabella was crushed.

Isabella’s mother called the Playhouse to ask if we could start a program that would not only teach Isabella appropriate social skills but give her a chance to build strong friendships. Isabella needed a core group of friends giving her confidence in life.

I’m writing to ask you to make a difference for children like Isabella.

GiGi’s Playhouse has the power to change the lives of the 11,000 individuals with Down syndrome estimated to live in New York City, enabling them to live a life of acceptance and inclusion. Your gift says “Yes!” when for generations doctors, experts and educators have said “No, it’s not possible.”

Today, “Bella,” as she is known to her new friends, is a regular participant in Playhouse Pals: a weekly group designed specifically to meet the social-emotional needs of tweens while building key social competencies that enable success outside the Playhouse.

Our newest program, Friday Friends, gives adults with Down syndrome social-educational opportunity they look forward to each month. The parents and adult siblings who bring their loved ones to Friday Friends find a unique network of support, friendship and resources.

Our three weekly literacy groups have seen 15 youngsters learn to love literacy as a tool for social engagement and self-expression. What a joy it is to see our 7-year-olds reading and our 3-year-olds expanding their vocabulary and understanding of narrative.

We currently offer 15 on-going programs that serve nearly 500 participants each month, not to mention our lectures, parties and awareness-raising events.

Families that come each week to one or more of our free programs are confident their child will develop meaningful relationships, become increasingly independent, and make a contribution to society: they will be successful. It’s hard to imagine such a positive outcome without the skills, information and networking built at GiGi’s Playhouse.

It’s been less than 3 years since GiGi’s Playhouse, NYC first opened our doors. Next year we intend to launch a Math program and extend our Literacy programs to more age groups. And we’re looking for ways to bring our core programs into all 5 boroughs, making our free programs and this vital community service accessible to families all over New York City.

We can’t do this alone. We need your help.

Please consider supporting Bella and hundreds of children with Down syndrome by making a gift or joining our Founder’s Circle.

Know that gifts up to $15,000 will be matched in this giving season.

Thank you,

Debbie Morris, Board President, GiGi’s Playhouse NYC – LLC