{"id":142544,"date":"2026-05-07T16:15:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T20:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/?p=142544"},"modified":"2026-05-07T16:15:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T20:15:51","slug":"believe-in-our-build-here-we-grow-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/2026\/05\/07\/believe-in-our-build-here-we-grow-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Believe in our Build: Here We Grow Again!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you been following along&nbsp;with&nbsp;my adventures&nbsp;at&nbsp;the Playhouse this week? Did you guess where I was??&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am so excited to announce that\u00a0all of\u00a0my photos this week (and Armando\u2019s!) were taken in our NEW EXPANDED PLAYHOUSE SPACE!\u00a0Located directly next door to the current Playhouse, the new space is currently under construction\u00a0(hence the hard hat \u2013 safety first!) and will soon become the home of GiGi University.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/GiGiWorks-rendering-1024x486.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/GiGiWorks-rendering-1024x486.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/GiGiWorks-rendering-300x142.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/GiGiWorks-rendering-768x364.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/GiGiWorks-rendering.jpg 1297w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just this week, GiGi\u2019s Playhouse Southern Tier celebrated our 7<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;anniversary in the community! When we opened our doors in Vestal in 2019, we were serving some 80 families. Quickly outgrowing that original space, we moved into our beautiful new facility&nbsp;in the Oakdale Commons&nbsp;in 2023, where we&nbsp;now reach&nbsp;a database of&nbsp;nearly 700&nbsp;families.&nbsp;We continue to welcome new families and new participants each month.&nbsp;Our adult population is our largest and fastest growing&nbsp;segment&nbsp;and we are so excited to be able to launch&nbsp;GiGiU, a program specifically designed to support that group!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">GiGi University (GiGiU) is an innovative postsecondary education and vocational training program created for adults with Down syndrome&nbsp;and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Built around the pillars of Healthy U, Whole U, and Confident U,&nbsp;GiGiU&nbsp;addresses a critical gap in the lifelong support and advancement of individuals with Down syndrome after they graduate from high school.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">GiGiU&nbsp;redefines what postsecondary education can look like for adults with Down syndrome by offering a first-of-its-kind, track-based model that integrates general education, career readiness, and formal leadership development under one cohesive framework. The innovation lies in its intentional blending of academic structure with person-centered flexibility, ensuring that every participant has access to a meaningful, individualized path forward.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">GiGiU&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;just filling a gap;&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;building a new standard. One that is research-informed, equity-focused, and scalable. It holds the power to transform lives and with the right support, to do so quickly and sustainably.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the heart of&nbsp;GiGiU&nbsp;is a dynamic model that harnesses the power of people\u2014skilled instructors, committed mentors, and engaged community volunteers to deliver meaningful education and support. This approach not only deepens the participant&#8217;s experience, but also strengthens the surrounding community by fostering empathy, inclusion, and shared purpose.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"399\" height=\"164\" src=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-07-4.12.23-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-07-4.12.23-PM.png 399w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/files\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-07-4.12.23-PM-300x123.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;GiGiU&nbsp;curriculum will focus on several core areas:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Healthy U &#8211; Topics will include:\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Nutrition and Meal Planning\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Personal Hygiene and Self-Care\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Physical Fitness and Exercise\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sexual Health and Healthy Relationships\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mental Health and Coping Skills\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Managing Medications and Doctor Visits\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whole U \u2013 Topics will include:\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Financial Literacy\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Independent Living Skills\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Creative and Recreational Arts\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Social and Emotional Development\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Confident U \u2013 Topics will include:\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Technology and Digital Literacy\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Self-Determination and Advocacy\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Career and Professional Skills\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Community Engagement and Leadership\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are working hard to get ready to launch our pilot&nbsp;GiGiU&nbsp;courses in Fall 2026 in our&nbsp;brand new&nbsp;space!&nbsp;In addition to making the&nbsp;physical&nbsp;space&nbsp;just right&nbsp;for our participants, we are reaching out to community and governmental organizations, exploring new partnerships with Binghamton University, and&nbsp;building relationships with local companies that may provide future internship and employment opportunities.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are looking forward to sharing more information as construction continues and our programming&nbsp;develops! If you are interested in supporting&nbsp;GiGi\u2019s Playhouse and GiGi University, please visit our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/believe-in-our-build\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here We Grow Again!<\/a>&nbsp;capital campaign page&nbsp;or contact me at jmccauley@gigisplayhouse.org to&nbsp;learn more about&nbsp;volunteer&nbsp;and sponsorship opportunities!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Onward and&nbsp;Upward,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jan&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you been following along&nbsp;with&nbsp;my adventures&nbsp;at&nbsp;the Playhouse this week? Did you guess where I was??&nbsp; I am so excited to announce that\u00a0all of\u00a0my photos this week (and Armando\u2019s!) were taken in our NEW EXPANDED PLAYHOUSE SPACE!\u00a0Located directly next door to the current Playhouse, the new space is currently under construction\u00a0(hence the hard hat \u2013 safety&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2070,"featured_media":142545,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2070"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142544\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/southern-tier-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}