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At GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford, our programming is tailored to meet the needs and challenges of the individuals we serve. By design, that means that most of our programs are created to serve a certain age group. So, MOST of the time, our participants (and their families, by default) interact largely with other participants of a…

At GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford, the staff and volunteers spend a great deal of time planning, organizing, and implementing programs for our participants, as well as fundraisers to generate the income needed to provide those programs and services at no cost to Playhouse families. The process is labor intensive, detail oriented, and frequently stressful. Like a…

Meet Nate! He is 24 years old and his favorite programs are GiGi U and Portal Theatre. Nate is so helpful, well-mannered, and kind. He loves hanging out with his friends, family, and girlfriend. He also loves collecting Hot Wheels, watching movies (specifically with his favorite actor, Zac Efron), and listening to music. His laugh is contagious, and his…

To cap off Volunteer Appreciation Month, we want to keep it simple and just say THANK YOU. We cannot express how grateful we are for our dedicated volunteers and support from our community. Every effort, no matter how small, has helped move our mission forward. GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford would not be what it is today…

Meet Andrea! She just turned 28 in February, and her favorite programs are GiGi Prep and GiGi’s Kitchen. She loves getting to hang out with her friends at the Playhouse. Some of her favorite things are shopping, spending time with her family, and watching scary movies. Her family has lots of parties, which she loves – cake, presents,…

The staff of GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford was recently so inspired by the heartfelt tribute to Amy Jo, a Cleveland Playhouse participant, who passed away about 3 weeks ago. If you have ever doubted the impact that an individual with Down syndrome can have on the world, please keep reading… Amy Jo was a force of…

Meet Ivy! She is 3 years old and loves LMNOP. Her favorite things are Bluey, singing, dancing, helping with household chores, brushing her teeth, playing pretend with dolls, and going on adventures in the car. Ivy enjoys walks with her family – and especially loves to run, which makes her a perfect fit for our…

Join us for the upcoming GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge 5k! Social media users, this event is designed just for you. This peer-to-peer fundraiser, which literally means involving direct contact or exchange between individuals of a similar rank or position, allows donors to create their own page, share their GiGi’s story, and spread the word on their…

“Meet Landon! His grandma, Penny, is our Playhouse founder, so he has been coming here since the day GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford opened 14 years ago. He loves Teen Tastic and literacy tutoring with Miss Kyra. He also loves GiGi’s Kitchen with his papa! Some of Landon’s favorite things are Buddy Baseball, his dog Pecan, and spending…

One of the many important puzzle pieces to the Playhouse is our volunteers. They lead and assist our programs, help out at events, and dedicate their hours to us. Another important puzzle piece is always looking for improvements – improving our processes, programs, how we work with participants, community partners, etc. We asked our volunteers…