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It’s the Friends we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey…
Meet Camden! Camden is 8 years old and is in 3rd grade. His mom, Kristy, was the previous program lead from LMNOP until he aged out, then shifted to Kids Club for the summer. Camden always has fun attending those programs and hanging out with his friends at the Playhouse. He loves camping and spending time outside with his mom, dad,…
Read MoreDOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH — PROVIDING THE RUNWAY FOR ACCEPTANCE!
We’ve all been there before — we walk into a room, and for whatever reason, it feels like all eyes are on us. For most of us, this is a fleeting feeling, but for individuals with Down syndrome, this is a daily reality. Individuals with Down syndrome wear their diagnosis on their face. Because of…
Read MorePerks Family Equine Center – Hope and Healing with Horses
GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford had the amazing opportunity to take a trip to the new Perks Family Equine Center! Among the variety of activities that Lockwood Park offers, the equine-assisted learning and therapy that they can provide at the new facility is going to be a game changer from an intervention standpoint. We toured the center…
Read MoreIt’s the Friends we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey…
Meet Sam! He is 48 years old and has been a Playhouse participant for many years, attending GiGi U, GiGi’s Kitchen, and Friday Friends. Sam spreads positivity throughout the entire Playhouse. He loves to help out with cleaning and his favorite things are steak and lobster, dancing, swimming, and hanging out with his best friends.…
Read MoreImmersed in Volunteering
Being a volunteer often means being in the background, just waiting until you are needed. Well, we absolutely needed our dedicated volunteers to make our 2024 Immersion Week possible! Our amazing participants work so hard throughout the session, so to end the summer off with some fun we had a full week of activities and…
Read MoreBaseballs and Lemonade
We are all familiar with the old adage that says, “There’s no time like the present.” When it comes to the concepts of acceptance and inclusion, we also believe that there is “no such thing as too young” to start educating our little ones. During the month of July, GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford was blessed to…
Read MoreHome Run Connection
The Rockford Rivets is partnering with GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford to help raise funds and awareness. For the July 15th home game against the Kenosha Kingfish, we will be their nonprofit of the game. Their goal is to showcase and support local non-profit organizations, creating a deeper connection within our community. Our participants will get free…
Read MoreTHE DIFFERENCE A DOG CAN MAKE…
When it comes to our canine companions, a lot of people are very familiar with the concept of and the benefits of a service dog. The concept of therapy dogs is a bit more abstract and less familiar to a lot of people, but we have found tremendous benefits that come from our participant’s interactions…
Read MoreMaking a Difference by Volunteering
As we reflect on this fabulous volunteer awareness month, we can’t help but notice the striking positive impact individuals with Ds have on those lucky enough to be a part of their world. That “luckiness” happens more frequently at the Playhouse, as we are constantly making connections and building relationships between participants, their families, and…
Read MoreWorld Down Syndrome Day
WHAT IF? A REFLECTION ON WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY If you were not able to make it to our World Down Syndrome Day celebration on March 21, you really missed out! About 95 of our friends showed up to party with us, and we had an amazing time. We had an awesome taco bar, a…
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