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...
DOWN 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...
Perks 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...
It’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...
Immersed 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...
Baseballs 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...
Home 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....
THE 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...
Making 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...
World 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...
Violet’s Giving
As we enter the season of giving, it seems appropriate to start us off with a great example of giving back by spotlighting a very generous Playhouse participant. Violet (age 18) is a long-time participant who recently came in with a $500 donation for us! She works hard to earn...
Jeremy: Leading the Way
This month, we want to recognize a remarkable young man who never allows fear or anxiety to keep him down. Jeremy is an active participant at the Playhouse who enjoys participating in multiple programs. He loves singing, dancing, and acting in our Portal Theatre program; he is a long-standing tutoring...