The GiGi’s Impact | GiGi’s Playhouse

There are many perks in the GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center community, one of our favorites is being inspired by our teams across the nation. The impact that GiGi’s Playhouse is having in communities all over the country and in Mexico is just outstanding!  Together, we are all changing the world! One community, one diagnosis, one person at  a time.

Today we are so excited to have Debbie Morris, President of GiGi’s Playhouse NYC sharing a peek on how the #generationG mission is impacting one family……..

I was hosting our Brooklyn programs one Saturday in March. We had a good group show up that day, around 6 kids including my own Sophia. The program is typically for our younger kids but since it’s the only program we ran at that time in Brooklyn, it tended to attract kids of all ages and regardless, it was always fun! That day I met a family I had not met before. Miss N is 9 and has a dual diagnosis of Ds and autism and is medically fragile as well, having spent a large part of her young life in various hospitals, including a visit where she was in a coma for several weeks. At nine, N was not yet verbal but she was a lovely girl with a beautiful smile.

The program always begins a Hello song. Each child gets to say his/her name in turn. N was halfway around the circle, so 4 kids in front of her. The third child didn’t want to say his name so Nina busted in with hers, at the appropriate time, and in a clear and loud voice. Her mom looked around the circle at the other parents and yelled out “Did you hear her say her name??!! She said HER NAME!” I started to well up! I remember the first time Sophia said her name and how proud I was, and I saw myself in Miss N’s mom. The joy, surprise, elation; the “OMG she did it!”.

After class, the wonderful volunteers and I were talking with N’s parents. I was sharing how her reaction was so beautiful to behold, and how thrilled I was that they were part of our GiGi’s community. She shared with me how much the Playhouse means to their family. When they are en route in the taxi and they tell N they are going to GiGi’s Playhouse, N says “love”. The Playhouse has been their savior, she told me; they are so thankful for it.

We recently held our annual Gala. I was so honored to have our new friends at my table. Their sheer joy at watching our video, listening to the speakers, and enjoying all the gala had to offer was wonderful. N had recently come out of the hospital, and they had 2 sitters with her due to some struggles she is working to overcome. Mom appeared to me to be suffering from the stress, but she continued to thank me for opening the Playhouse and telling me how much it means to have a GiGi’s Playhouse in their lives. We have been in contact since the gala and I’m pleased to report that things are getting better.

With Tracy Nixon, I brought Nancy Gianni’s dream to NYC. We wanted the sense of community and friends for our daughters, especially during their teenaged years. What I did not fully appreciate was the impact it would have on so many others. From Nina and her family, to the children in our literacy pods, from the surrounding community of Harlem who loves hosting the PH, to Anita, our amazing volunteer who had a son with Down syndrome, who passed away when he was a teenager. We are making such an impact on not just our families with Down syndrome, but the community at large as well.

I am so proud to call myself a Founder and the current President of the GiGi’s Playhouse NYC Board of Managers. That Saturday in October with Miss N and her parents brought more joy to me than words can say. I am humbled by and so thankful for our Down syndrome family network, the people I have met through Sophia’s differing abilities, and for the love that we share as a community.

As a whole the GiGi’s mission is serving 25,000 families, has held 46,000 NO COST program sessions and has 30 locations!

Thank you Debbie for sharing  and inspiring us all!

educate. inspire. believe. 

#generationG