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A Word from the Chief Belief Officer - Nancy Gianni
Hello GiGi’s Change Makers!
Sometimes, it is so hard to stay in the moment. Last weekend, with 66 GiGi’s locations and startups represented at the GiGi’s Annual Leadership Conference, was not one of those moments! I was in awe when over 60 GiGi’s presidents took the stage together! These inspirational warriors are all volunteers leading their communities to build a place of love and acceptance and serve their families with free programs! Who does that? GiGi’s leaders do!
Each one of them stood up there and stated one word representing their Playhouse in 2024 and then one word for 2025. The words ranged from committed, strong, and transformational to challenged and scared. It was a time for honesty, and their GiGi’s family was here to support them. Changing the world is not easy. These amazing heroes did not all come to us as leaders; they grew into leaders who challenge themselves daily, overcoming fears and obstacles for the greater good. I remember when I started GiGi’s, my two biggest fears were public speaking and flying! Hmmm, God had fun with that one!
Then another leader took the stage, GiGi. It was the first time she was telling her life story in a PowerPoint! She knew I was nervous and when she got up on stage she exclaimed “See mom, I told you I could do it!” Yes, she did! Take a peek at her speech here!
Please take a moment to read our November newsletter and learn about some of the incredible things happening across our Playhouses:
- Thanks to our supporters, GiGi’s impact is growing
- GiGi’s 2024 Annual Leadership Conference helps mold leaders
- GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse helps a new family find community
- GiGi’s Achievers allows our participants to spread kindness
- A GiGi’s New Orleans participant becomes an outstanding volunteer
I am so grateful for everyone—GiGi’s leaders and all of YOU who help us continue to serve our families with free programs and show the world that individuals with Down syndrome belong in this world! Happy Thanksgiving!
XOXO
Nancy and GiGi
Thanks to you, our impact is growing!
With Thanksgiving just a week away, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you — our families, donors, volunteers, and supporters. Because of YOU, we’ve accomplished amazing things in 2024. Here’s a highlight of some of the great things GiGi’s Playhouse has done so far!
- 344,400+ hours of FREE programming
- 5,620 hours of FREE programming each week
- 93 countries being served by GiGi’s
- 6 continents where individuals with Down syndrome receive our 1:1 tutoring
- 9,291+ active volunteers
Though these are impressive numbers, they stand for actual lives that we are changing, and we couldn’t do any of it without YOU! As we prepare for 2025, we want to acknowledge our gratitude for all of you; you’re helping us change the world!
Leaders are not born; they’re made... at GiGi’s!
Earlier this month, we held our GiGi’s 2024 Leadership Conference. This five-day conference, featuring 86 speakers and 80 breakout sessions, brings 356 leaders together — including Playhouse staff, volunteers, board members, participants, and even high school students!
A session led by our National #GenerationG Youth Board was one of the highlights of our conference. Made up of high school students, our #GenerationG Youth Board comprises young leaders passionate about changing their community, advocating for individuals with Down syndrome, and supporting GiGi’s Playhouse through service. During the session, these incredible students outlined the model that all 61+ of our Playhouses can follow to build their youth boards and help cultivate the next generation of leaders!
It was a message fitting for our 2024 conference. At GiGi’s, we help leaders grow — whether they’re a high school student, a parent who just received a diagnosis, or a business professional wanting to make the world a better place — we all learn from one another!
And a special thanks to Dan Thurmon, our AMAZING keynote speaker! Dan’s a Hall of Fame speaker, best-selling author, and world-class juggler who reignited everyone’s passion with his powerful message about leaning into the chaos of life and embracing that life’s an impossible juggling act! We’re so grateful Dan partnered with us for our conference!
Luckily, Dan wasn’t our only incredible speaker!
Read more about our annual conference and some of our AMAZING speakers here!
Did you know America is in a VOLUNTEER CRISIS right now?!?
Across all charitable organizations, there’s a dire shortage, and we need your help! As a 99% volunteer-run organization, GiGi’s Playhouse can’t change the world without volunteers!
Thankfully, we make volunteering easy! For as little as an hour a week (in person or online) you can make a difference, and with our automated and innovative Learning Management System (LMS) you can complete your training from the comfort of your own home. Changing lives has never been this easy! Learn more here!
When life gets in the way, GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse is here!
Like so many new parents, Jamie wanted to get involved with GiGi’s Playhouse. Having just welcomed Zander into the world, her beautiful son with Down syndrome, Jamie was eager to attend our Language Music N’ Our Peeps (LMNOP) at her local GiGi’s.
...but life got in the way.
Zander had just gotten home from the NICU, and Jamie was focused on keeping him healthy. On top of this, it was winter, and flu season was in full effect; stepping inside their local GiGi’s was not practical for Zander or Jamie. Thankfully, our Virtual Playhouse filled that void!
Jamie and Zander began attending the LMNOP program virtually and immediately felt the impact. As Zander has grown older, he’s become more interactive in LMNOP, and Zander’s older brother has even joined the virtual classes! Though Jamie and Zander still have not had the chance to visit their local Playhouse, they’re thankful for the connections and community they’ve found via the Virtual Playhouse!
We can ALL change the world...
Individuals with Down syndrome are no exception! Beyond helping our participants reach purposeful progressions, our FREE educational and therapeutic programs also help our participants realize that they can be a force of positive change in the world.
Our GiGi’s Achievers Program at the Fox Valley Playhouse speaks to this idea. The participants in their GiGi’s Achievers program completed tie blankets for a local NICU. In addition to creating these GiGi’s branded blankets, the adult participants learned about volunteering and NICUs, but most of all, they learned they are more than capable of helping others and spreading kindness and generosity throughout the world!
...And if you haven’t heard, our Fox Valley Playhouse is turning 20 years old next year! For their birthday, they’re looking to move into a bigger location in Naperville to serve MORE families. Please contact us if you have any leads in Naperville and can help our Fox Valley Playhouse celebrate its 20th birthday in a new building!
Want to see the bigger picture? Volunteer at GiGi’s!
We get it. We all focus on our own problems. After all, we all have obstacles and stressors in life, but often, the best way to help yourself is to help others. At GiGi’s Playhouse, this idea lies at the core of what we do. Our 99% volunteer-run network of 61 Playhouses helps entire communities shift their perspectives. But we don’t just teach our volunteers this valuable lesson; we also teach it to our participants – in fact, our participants even become volunteers!
Laney Guerra from our New Orleans Playhouse is a perfect example of this. A self-advocate, Laney has recently joined New Orleans’s volunteer team, helping with LMNOP, Leaps & Bounds, GiGi’s Kitchen Kids, and other programs. In addition to helping so many of our participants, Laney’s seeing how fulfilling it is to serve others!
Want to be like Laney? For as little as one hour a week (in person or online), you can build meaningful relationships and help others achieve their dreams! Learn more here.
HELP GIVE OUR PARTICIPANTS A VOICE THIS #GIVINGTUESDAY
At GiGi’s, we believe everyone has a story to tell, and our Playhouses help individuals with Down syndrome find their voice... literally. Through our Literacy Tutoring program participants of all ages don’t just learn to read; they learn to speak, communicate, and effectively express themselves!
But none of this would happen without YOU! While our Literacy Program (and ALL our programs) are FREE to our families, they’re not free to us. We invest roughly $2,700 annually for each family actively engaged in our programming. That’s why we’re asking you to please consider coming alongside us this #GivingTuesday (Dec. 3) and donating to help give our participants a voice.
Don’t want to wait until #GivingTuesday? Click here to find how you help GiGi’s TODAY!
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