Expanding Our Reach Through Satellite Locations 

At GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh, our mission has always been simple: bring purposeful, free programming and support to as many families as possible. While our physical playhouse is located in Raleigh, we know there are families all across North Carolina searching for programs, resources, and community connections like ours. That’s exactly why our Satellite Locations were created. 

Currently, GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh is one of only two playhouses in the entire state of North Carolina. Every week, we hear from families driving hours just to attend programs because there is nothing available in their area. We also know there are many families who would love to participate but simply cannot make the drive consistently. Our goal is to bring programming to YOU and reach as many individuals and families as possible. 

Right now, our playhouse serves approximately 1,300 families — but that still represents less than 10% of the overall Down syndrome population in North Carolina. That means there are still so many families out there who could benefit from the support, resources, and community that GiGi’s provides. Our satellite locations are helping us close that gap one community at a time. 

Current Satellite Locations 

We are so excited about the growth and success we’ve already seen through our established satellite locations in Chapel Hill, Clayton, Wake Forest, and Fayetteville. 

Chapel Hill 

Our Chapel Hill Destination Discovery program has been steadily growing, and we are beginning to see more consistent attendance each month. Recently, we expanded the age range to include younger participants and added a second program leader so we could split into groups by age. This has allowed us to provide more individualized and age-appropriate programming, and it has been going incredibly well. 

In addition to Destination Discovery, we also host a two-hour Fantastic Friends program for adults once a month. Altogether, Chapel Hill is now running programs three times a month and serving three different age groups, which is an exciting milestone for this location. 

Fayetteville 

We are thrilled to officially have Fayetteville programs back up and running! The first two programs were a huge success, and we are currently hosting Destination Discovery once a month in this area. 

Even more exciting, we recently connected with a special education high school teacher who is willing to help us launch a second program in Fayetteville. This expansion will allow us to split participants into more focused age groups and provide programming tailored to their needs. 

The new teen and adult program will focus on life skills such as fitness, kitchen skills, and overall wellness, while our current leaders will continue running programs for littles and school-aged participants centered around crafts, sensory activities, motor skills, and interactive learning experiences. 

Clayton 

Our Clayton satellite location has continued to thrive over the past year with a weekly teen program that has seen great consistent participation and engagement from families in the area. We are incredibly excited about the relationships and sense of community that have developed through this location. 

This summer, we are also looking to expand our Clayton offerings by adding a program specifically for littles. We know how important it is for families to access support and programming early on, and we are excited to continue growing this location to serve even more age groups. 

Our Clayton satellite is especially unique because it operates in partnership with Abil-OT Therapy. Programs at this location are taught by licensed Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapists, allowing participants to benefit from highly specialized support while still enjoying the fun, purposeful, and community-centered environment GiGi’s Playhouse is known for. 

Wake Forest 

Our newest satellite location in Wake Forest has now been running for two months and continues to show promising growth. We are already looking into expanding programming at this location by introducing Music for Early Learners for ages 0–4. We are excited about the opportunity to support families even earlier in their journeys and continue building community connections in this area. 

Looking Ahead: Satellite Expansion 

As we continue growing, we are actively looking into starting new satellite locations in Greenville and Sanford after hearing from many families in those communities about the need for programming and support services. 

We would love your help making this possible. If you know of any spaces that could host programming, individuals interested in leading programs, or families in those areas who would benefit from GiGi’s programming, please reach out or share our information with them. 

We are also always looking to expand the current satellite locations we already have in order to serve more participants and additional age groups. If you know families in Chapel Hill, Clayton, Wake Forest, Fayetteville, Greenville, or Sanford who could benefit from our free programs, please direct them to our website or have them contact [email protected]. 

Additionally, our satellite programs rely heavily on amazing volunteers and community leaders. If you know anyone in these areas who may be interested in volunteering, we would love to connect with them as well. 

Every new satellite location means more families reached, more friendships formed, and more opportunities created for individuals with Down syndrome across North Carolina. Thank you for continuing to support our mission and helping us bring GiGi’s Playhouse to more communities than ever before.