![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/phoenix\/files\/2026\/02\/Places.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJennifer\u2019s connection to GiGi\u2019s Playhouse began in 2013. Her daughter Kaitlyn, who has Down syndrome, was 15 at the time, and like many parents, Jennifer was thinking about what opportunities would be available for her as she grew older. Around that time, a friend\u2014another mom of a child with Down syndrome\u2014mentioned GiGi\u2019s Playhouse. Jennifer had never heard of it before and initially thought it was a theater troupe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But at her friend\u2019s encouragement, she decided to look it up. What she found captivated her instantly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was completely compelled by Nancy\u2019s story,\u201d Jennifer remembers. \u201cShe\u2019s a mother who wanted to make an impact on the community, and I was definitely feeling there weren\u2019t a lot of services for my daughter.\u201d That spark planted the seed for the Phoenix Playhouse. Jennifer didn\u2019t just believe that Phoenix needed a GiGi\u2019s Playhouse; she took action. A startup team, consisting of Jennifer and other dedicated parents and community members, formed later that year. By February 2015, the Phoenix Playhouse officially opened its doors as the 21st GiGi\u2019s Playhouse. At the time, the Phoenix Playhouse opened with just $35,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though opening the Playhouse may have seemed like a leap of faith, Jennifer and the rest of the startup team\u2019s belief never wavered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe one thing that I really learned from Nancy is to believe,\u201d Jennifer said. \u201cBelieve the people will come. Believe the money will come.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And they both did. <\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIn the years since opening, the Phoenix Playhouse has grown tremendously in both size and impact. What began as a single suite has expanded\u2026 twice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2018, they took over the space next door, launching GiGi University to better serve adults in the community who were in need of continued education and purposeful programming. That same expansion made room for GiGi\u2019s Kitchen, affectionately known as Kaitlyn\u2019s Kitchen<\/em>, named after Jennifer\u2019s daughter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then in 2021, when another neighboring space became available, the Playhouse grew again. This time, it became home to the GiGiFIT Studio, giving participants a dedicated space for wellness, strength-building, and confidence through movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Growth didn\u2019t stop at the Playhouse walls. With the launch of GiGi\u2019s on the Go, a mobile outreach van, the Phoenix team quite literally put the mission in motion. The GiGi\u2019s-branded van enables the Playhouse to bring GiGi\u2019s resources and signature programs into underserved communities, expanding access to support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But GiGi\u2019s on the Go isn\u2019t just about reaching new neighborhoods. It\u2019s also about giving adult participants opportunities to experience the broader community\u2014through outings, field trips, and real-world engagement that build confidence and independence. <\/p>\n\n\n