GiGi’s Playhouse Portland hosts the 2024 GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge on June 15th at Mary S Young Park in West Linn.
GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers is once again hosting the GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge; a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign with more than 50+ events happening across the country! The goal of the campaign is to raise funds and awareness which supports GiGi’s Playhouse’s efforts to create a more accepting world for...
GiGi’s Playhouse Program Survey Results and Rip City Raffle
GiGi’s Playhouse provides free, purposeful programming to individuals experiencing Down syndrome (or similar conditions), that address therapeutic, educational and career needs throughout their lifetime. While our construction team is building our new Portland achievement center, we are preparing our “phase 1” programming. We launched a program in early October (https://gigisplayhouse.org/portland/share-your-voice/)...
Inspiring Moments from the 2023 GiGi’s National Conference
On November 2nd, the Portland GiGi’s Board Members, Brad and Niki Johnston and Kristal Watts, embarked on an inspiring journey to the 2023 GiGi’s National Conference – held just outside of Chicago in Itasca, Illinois. The trip was an embodiment of GiGi’s core values: Being Enthusiastic, Best of All: A...
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...
Hypermobility in Down Syndrome
Low muscle tone, or hypermobility (HM), is one of the most common symptoms of Down Syndrome. This condition is caused by a problem with how collagen is used due to the additional chromosome at the 21st chromosome. This gene is where collagen is encoded to be used to maintain our...
What Is Oromyofunctional Therapy and Why Is It Important to Our Kids with Down Syndrome?
Have you ever wondered why so many of our children with Down Syndrome have an open mouth posture? Have you ever heard that our kids’ tongues are larger than the typical population? Does your child have sleep apnea or eat with a tongue thrust? Is your child a mouth breather? ...
GiGi’s Playhouse Portland’s Capital Campaign “heats up” this summer!
After years of preparation, planning and progression through an extensive assessment process (and a global pandemic no less), GiGi’s Playhouse Portland expects to execute a long-term lease for its Portland playhouse this summer! Accompanying the lease will be a construction project to build out each element of our playhouse: adult...
“In Case You Missed It…”
John and Mark Cronin of John’s Crazy Socks were in Portland on June 22nd advocating for the need to shift perceptions among policy makers, employers and families as it relates to what is possible for the ‘differently-abled”. The event entitled Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You was sponsored by Advocates...
Portland Runs, Walks and Dashes for Acceptance at the GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge
Hundreds of runners, walkers and kid dashers turned out on a beautiful morning in June to raise awareness and support for a more accepting and inclusive community. GiGi’s Playhouse Portland and its partners Down Syndrome Network of Oregon, Advocates for Life Skills and Opportunity (ALSO), FACT Oregon, and Wheels to...
In case you missed it
K103 FM morning hosts, Stacey and Mike, interviewed Nancy Gianni on World Down Syndrome Day. Listen here to Nancy describe what it means to have a GiGi’s Playhouse in Portland.
Away from Milestones and Toward the Light
“Slow down, you’re doin’ fine You can’t be everything you wanna be before your time Although it’s so romantic on the borderline Tonight, tonight Too bad, but it’s the life you lead You’re so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need….” — Vienna (Billy Joel) I remember walking...
Join Us for the 2023 GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge!
Looking for how YOU and your family can change the world!?! Here’s a meaningful way to get involved with GiGi's Playhouse Portland! Register here for our GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge 5K, 1 mile and Kids Dash for Down Syndrome on June 3rd at Mary S. Young Park in West Linn. It’s...