Portland Invests in GiGi’s Playhouse Portland During Down Syndrome Awareness Month Capital Campaign

Accompanying a late summer lease signing of a 5,292 square foot space in SW Portland, GiGi’s Playhouse Portland launched a capital campaign to run during October, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and raise funds to build out and furnish the Portland Playhouse.  

Prior to the campaign, Portland area donors, sponsors and foundations had contributed $175,000 of the estimated $300,000 buildout project. Early investors included: The Edward and Romell Ackley Foundation, whose $20,000 grant sponsored the buildout of the GiGiFit gym as well as the GiGiFit program for the first year;  Leaps + Bounds LLC sponsored the buildout of GiGi’s Kitchen and our Lobby area through a generous $20,000 gift; and The Andersen Construction Foundation provided GiGi’s Playhouse with a $25,000 grant to “seed” our capital construction needs. 

Given that GiGi’s takes possession of its new Portland space in late November, our October campaign, which featured a mid-month event at Top Golf Hillsboro, was very timely…and Portland responded in a big way. Corporate partners such as Embold Credit Union, DSP Connections, Roth Home, Vista Capital and BottleDrop (OBRC) came on board as sponsors for our event. The Moti8 Foundation (Mariota Family) added a $5000 gift (Go Ducks!), and when added to online gifts…over $30,000 was raised in the first 14 days of October! 

The event at Top Golf sold out in early October and a full capacity room of sponsors, business owners, donors and families lifted their paddles for Down syndrome and raised over $72,000 in one hour! Over $100,000 was contributed in the month of October and construction is moving forward! 

Room and program sponsorships are still available, so please check out those opportunities here: