Volunteer Spotlight: Juan

The success of GiGi’s Playhouse NYC rests on the shoulders of our incredible volunteers! The energy and leadership they bring every week motivate our participants and their families to do their #BestOfAll! Every month, we want to highlight a few of our hundreds of volunteers!

For our first spotlight, we’d like to thank our intern, Juan! Juan helped develop our monthly e-newsletters and brochures, prepare the Annual Appeal, conduct interviews with parents and guardians, and support our Program Leaders!

Our families are greeted by Juan and his signature smile every Saturday!

Juan reflects on his time as an intern — “What I have gained from being a member of GiGi’s Playhouse can only be fully grasped by someone who has dedicated their time here.

Before interning at GiGi’s Playhouse, I was isolated from the real world. My daily routine looked a little like this — wake up early, get ready for school, attend my classes, go home, eat dinner, do homework and go to sleep. The days were always the same, even if some of those days would include a doctor’s appointment. You see, I have Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 2 (SMA2), and I thought that my disability prevented me from gaining knowledge from the real world. At GiGi’s Playhouse NYC, I have been able to see so much life in every child’s eyes.

On Saturdays, we have various programs for all ages, and while I can say I don’t have a favorite, the one where I truly get lost in my little world is called Leaps and Bound. It starts at 11:00 am and runs until 12:00 pm. For an hour, I see the kids just being kids. I see the simplicity of life through them. They are having fun by running around, laughing and playing with one another. After Leaps and Bounds, the kids take part in a Literacy Pod – a program where they learn to spell, sound words, and read! While they are learning from their tutors, I’ve ended up learning from watching them — life is full of imagination and possibilities!

Understanding my story can only be conveyed in how this place has significantly impacted my life for the greater good, because they have taught me that life should be taken in steps. Ultimately these kids have taught me that despite the bad, you can pick out the good and find the means of making life a bit more brighter.”