GiGi’s Playhouse, Portland Comes to Life With Help From Team Depot
GiGi’s Playhouse, Portland is gearing up for the Grand Opening of the Pacific Northwest’s first Achievement Center on September 28th – and doing so with help from so many amazing organizations in our community. On Wednesday, August 21, Team Depot, approximately forty associates from eleven stores in the greater Portland-Salem...
Program Spotlight: Destination Discovery, an exciting program targeted for individuals ages 4 to 12 years; with or without a Down syndrome diagnosis!
An Olympic Games-themed Destination Discovery in Cleveland, OH Destination Discovery is an exciting and fun group program that supports the development of motor skills, social skills and language through purposeful play and peer to peer interaction in a casual and fun setting. Targeted at children 4-12 years (but adaptable to...
Past, Present, and Future Volunteers Get a Preview of the Playhouse!
Last week, GiGi's Playhouse Portland held our very first "hard hat tours" for volunteers, revealing a beautiful space specifically designed to support our free and purposeful programming. Volunteers of past, present, and future got a sneak preview of the family lounge, fitness center, and teaching kitchen. The excitement was infectious,...
Get Ready for a Very Special Down Syndrome Awareness Month (October) at GiGi’s Playhouse Portland
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month (DSAM)...a very special month for the Down syndrome community and GiGi’s Playhouse. Nationally, GiGi’s promotes awareness through a variety of innovative initiatives (read more here). Locally, GiGi’s Playhouse Portland is planning several exciting opportunities to connect, contribute and advocate for the Down syndrome community....
Program Spotlight: Fantastic Friends
Line-dancing at Fantastic Friends in Hoffman Estates, IL. Sometimes, we hear someone refer to GiGi's Playhouse as "a place for kids with Down syndrome." While this is partially true, at GiGi's Playhouse, we welcome volunteers and participants of all ages...with or without a diagnosis. One of our signature programs...
Rae Hofstedt Joins GiGi’s Playhouse Portland as Site Manager, to Make a Difference for Adults, Teens, Toddlers and Infants with a “Diagnosis” or a need to be challenged, loved and inspired!
On July 1, 2024, GiGi’s Playhouse Portland welcomed Rae Hofstedt to its team as Site Manager for the Portland GiGi’s location. Rae earned her degree in Public Health in 2019 from California State University, Northridge, and has been working in the world of behavioral health and education since then. She...
GiGi’s Playhouse “Wish list” connects Playhouse needs to donors wanting to make a difference.
GiGi’s Playhouses across America maintain “Wish lists” which serves to connect donors to the most pressing needs of the Playhouse. As the new Portland Playhouse prepares for its Grand Opening on September 28th, 2024, these needs exist in almost every part of the Playhouse: furnishings, kitchen appliances, program materials, technology,...
Portland Businesses, Foundations and Families Create a Lasting Legacy by Sponsoring GiGi’s Playhouse Rooms to serve this and Future Generations
One of the ways GiGi’s Playhouses across the US and Mexico sustain 100% FREE services is through inviting local community members to invest in their local playhouse through room and program sponsorships. Room Sponsorships are a once in a “Playhouse lifetime” opportunity to participate financially and be perpetually acknowledged within...
The 2024 GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge: Portland Runs, Walks and Dashes for Acceptance in Front of The Grand Opening of GiGi’s Playhouse Portland
Portland hosted the largest and most successful GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge on June 15th; a day marked with occasional rain, occasional sun but continual love and acceptance for the community of “differently-abled” Portlanders. 45 “teams” invited over 400 friends, family members and/or co-workers to THE RUN, THE WALK or THE DASH...
#GenerationG Moves Individuals, Schools, Businesses and Communities Toward Global Acceptance for All
You’ve probably heard that GiGi’s Playhouse, the world’s largest network of Down syndrome achievemnt centers is coming to Portland. Located at 8538 Apple Way, GiGi’s will provide FREE programs for families and adults who experience Down syndrome, any disability or none. What you may not know is that GiGi’s Playhouse...
We’re Hiring!
Construction is starting, programs are being planned, volunteers are registering, and GiGi’s Playhouse Portland is hiring! As we prepare to open our doors in 2024, GiGi’s Playhouse Portland is looking for an experienced and empathetic leader to serve as our Playhouse Site Manager. Specifically, we’re looking for a goal-oriented, conscientious...
Join Us March 16th for Informational “Hardhat Tours” of GiGi’s Playhouse Portland!
Want to get a jump on World Down Syndrome Day festivities in the Portland Area? Come join GiGi’s Playhouse Portland for an informational hardhat tour of the first Down syndrome achievement center in the Northwest. RSVP below to be one of 50 lucky registrants to go home with a pair John’s...