End of Year Holiday Cheer 2020

We hope this message finds you safe and well! 2020 has been a year of challenges and silver linings, but it was not a time to push PAUSE.

Perseverance and determination have kept us going!

When the pandemic hit in mid-March, we had to shut down in-person programs & change fundraising events. It was devastating and heartbreaking. How would we survive? We pushed PLAY and moved forward! We banded together with our network of Playhouses & launched GiGi’s At Home virtual programming, participated in a 60-location virtual event that made history and kept our promise to always be there for families & the community. What an extraordinary year!

 

Take a look at 2020’s twists, turns, and triumphs on our End of Year Holiday Cheer page. We are proud to be a part of a network that has come together during this season.

We could not have done it without supporters like YOU who jumped right in with us, to support our local community as your lives were turned upside down too!

We are proud of what we have accomplished together, although we still worry constantly about our families and what is to come in the future. Every program at GiGi’s is 100% FREE to families and individuals with Down syndrome, but they are not free to us. We are still training volunteers, delivering virtual impactful programming. Ensuring our families can access and engage purposefully comes at a cost.

The team at GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities needs your help! Please help us keep our programs educational, purposeful, fun, FREE and accessible to our families with the gift of a donation, volunteering or wish list items! This year we need you more than ever! Just like individuals with Down syndrome do not get to “give up” or take a break from their diagnosis, we are not going to give up or take a break from our families.

While there have been challenges this year, there have been many successes too!

Locally we offered the following session-based programs virtually:

  • GiGiFIT for Teens, Kids, Adult, and Toddlers (new program)
  • GiGi’s Kitchen for Kids, Teens and Adults (new program)
  • Leaps & Bounds (new curriculum with At Home Kits provided)
  • Music Therapy (returning program held virtually)
  • Literacy & Math Tutoring (first-ever virtual offerings with At Home Kits)
  • Speech & Language Therapy (added a second Speech and Language Pathologist to help serve more participants)

Our 2020 numbers may be lower than previous years but they are still worthy of sharing.

  • 1800+ participant check-ins
  • 220 participants (individuals with Down syndrome and family members)
  • 1900+ participant hours
  • 137 volunteers
  • 1680+ volunteer hours

We hope the holidays surround you with good health, love, and happiness!
Watch this 2-minute video to see what YOU helped us build.

With love and gratitude,

The Board & Staff of GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities
Board Members
Matt, Chad, Jenn, Nate, Brett, Tim, Briana, Kim, Brian
Staff
Pam & Haylee

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