Community
Welcome Back, Maddie
Spring 2025 Intern welcome or should we say welcome back?! As Maddie, explains below she’s been here before, and many of you may have worked with or seen her around. If you attended the 2024 SAU Trivia Night which was a community fundraiser for GiGi’s, you had the pleasure of seeing her emcee the event.…
Read MoreCelebrating FRIENDS and Volunteers
Thank you to the 350+ people who attended or supported the annual fundraising gala. We loved seeing old friends and meeting new FRIENDS too.
Read MoreAugust 2024 Best of All
Participant Best of All Darrian has a lot to say. Darrian has been participating in our adult group speech group, aka, Coffee Club for over a year. She tends to be quiet, taking everything in and responding with gestures and whispers. This week Darrian was participating with a voice we could hear! Darrian has been…
Read MoreFall 2024 Programs & Events
GiGi’s is booming with exciting programs and events this fall. Our website calendar is full of the regular programs offered but we wanted to highlight a few new or special events here on the blog. We don’t want you to miss anything! Additional details (times, locations, etc) can be found on our website calendar which…
Read MoreJuly 2024 Best of All
Participant Best of All Lauren ended her summer speech sessions with a bang! Miss Ann tried a new therapy technique and it was phenomenal. She was able to decode what Lauren was saying into words that more people would understand. The #bestofall moment was when Lauren’s eyes lit up because she realized Miss Ann understood…
Read MoreJune 2024 Best of All
In June, we held our annual GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge and it was AMAZING! Be sure to visit the recap blog linked here. The rest of June was a blur of activity with all of our summer programs starting including two new programs/activities. Participant Best of All Recently during an Adult Group Speech “Coffee Club” program,…
Read More3 Tips for Articulating Policy
The Conversation Corner, By Brook Fieldman Part 8 of 8 – This is the last post in this series of blog posts on supporting, encouraging, and tips and tricks related to communication. Tips for Communicating Disability Policy The previous blog in this series detailed the importance of building knowledge on self-advocacy and increasing communicative confidence…
Read More3 Ways to Stay on Topic
The Conversation Corner, By Brook Fieldman Part 6 of 8 – There will be 2 blogs each week in this series with a night of in-person recap at the end of the month. Enhancing Topic Maintenance As previously mentioned in other blog posts, effective communication is essential for maintaining strong social relationships. However, individuals with…
Read More2 Communication Settings
The Conversation Corner, by Brook Fieldman Part 5 of 8 – There will be 2 blogs each week in this series with a night of in-person recap at the end of the month. Teaching Effective Communication In Various Settings As you’ve learned, effective communication skills are crucial for cultivating positive social relationships. These relationships extend…
Read More3 Things to Know about Communication Boards
The Conversation Corner, By Brook Fieldman Part 4 of 8 – There will be 2 blogs each week in this series with a night of in-person recap at the end of the month. Weaving Communication Boards into Daily Routines Many individuals with Down syndrome are visual learners and therefore benefit from visual support. One type…
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