Andrew – Volunteer Spotlight
Andrew joined GiGi’s Playhouse Twin Cities in November of 2018, immediately after taking part in a volunteer orientation. He has a brother, Mason, with Down syndrome – and came to GiGi’s with a special interest in helping our participants with cooking and nutrition, as well as a strong desire to...
Meet Ava – Best of All
Ava’s favorite activity at GiGi’s is Teen Tastic. She loves to hang out with friends, especially if dancing is involved! Her favorite time of year is summer, when her brother and sister are home from college. We are proud to have you Ava, and your family, be part of our...
Rheanne – Volunteer Spotlight
Rheanne Lewis, aka Rae, a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, has jumped right in to help us out with Speech and Social Skills programming, virtually, for GiGi’s Playhouse Twin Cities, during this time of Covid-19. She immediately started by creating a video geared towards our early learners, that focused on greetings...
Meet Henry – Best of All
Henry, age 9 Henry likes Team G Special Olympics, Social Skills, and Yoga. He loves performing on the stage and playing basketball in the gym at GiGi's. He also loves singing and dancing, watching football plays on YouTube, re-enacting those football plays with his stuffed animals, and eating any kind...
GiGi’s At Home – Twin Cities
We miss you all so much and we still want the show to go on… just from home for now! With the help from GiGi’s Playhouse Indianapolis and GiGi's Playhouse Houston, plus we already have many other contributions from other playhouses -- we have now started to put together activities...
Abby and Nell – Inspiring Self-Advocates
Abby and Nell are two of our self-advocates who have been volunteering here since the opening of GiGi’s Playhouse – Twin Cities in 2013, mostly volunteering with Special Olympics Young Athletes and Team G Special Olympics Team. They have helped volunteer here consistently and enthusiastically every single week for all...
My GiGi’s Story….Life-Long Relationships and Purpose! Written by: Alison
"I began attending GiGi’s Playhouse - Twin Cities, while nannying in 2015 for Maceo, a young boy with Down syndrome. After bringing him to Open Play, I quickly realized that I wanted to become more involved with this incredible organization and began volunteering that same year. Fast forward to now, I am currently...
Michael….An Eagle Scout Gives Back!
Michael, a member of our community, and an Eagle Scout, reached out to us in June of this year to ask if there was something he could do for his Eagle Service Project to be able to give back to GiGi’s, the very place that has given him so much...
A Sister’s Love…From Colombia to GiGi’s Playhouse – Twin Cities!
Hi everyone! My name is Ingrid, and I am so blessed to have the chance to write a blog entry for GiGi’s Playhouse – Twin Cities. I had such an amazing experience recently, where I discovered this precious place where people with Down syndrome are the center of all attention...
The Peanut Butter Falcon, GiGi’s Playhouse….educate. inspire. believe.
Last night we had the chance to partner with KARE 11 on a segment about the new release of The Peanut Butter Falcon that premiers this week. This movie is starring an actor with Down syndrome and is helping the world to see Down syndrome in a very positive light....
Karen, Tim, and Violet — A family that inspires!
We are so proud of Karen Ryan, Tim Lees, and Violet for all of the contributions they have made to our GiGi's Playhouse-Twin Cities, Special Olympics Minnesota, and the Down syndrome community over all the years of Violet's life. Thank you! Please watch this video, and forever be inspired!...
Sahra and Mustaf — A Mother’s Love for her Son and her Community
From the moment you meet Sahra and Mustaf, you immediately feel a sense of positivity, kindness, enthusiasm, leadership, and respect. These traits were instilled in Sahra from birth by her family growing up in Somalia, and Sahra has passed this on to her son Mustaf raising him here, in Minneapolis,...