Posts by Nicolette Moinet

At the heart of our Virtual Playhouse lies something truly special, the joy of storytelling. We are incredibly fortunate to have a dynamic mother-daughter duo who volunteer with us each month to create a magical Storytime experience for our participants. But what truly stands out is the bond they share, not just as mother and…

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…

Virtual GiGi’s Kitchen Adult is a program where adults from around the country meet weekly to cook new recipes and learn about the importance of health and wellness through nutrition education, kitchen safety, food preparation, social activities and a shared meal. Under the guidance of program leaders, participants will learn about and progress through skills…

We couldn’t serve families from all over the United States and abroad without our incredible volunteers. They show up every week ready and eager to serve our families and encourage our participants! Without them, we wouldn’t be able to have the incredible GiGi’s ripple effect happening all over the world.   Bryce was the program leader for…

When Jamie welcomed her son Zander into the world, she knew she wanted to get involved with GiGi’s Playhouse. She was eager to find something fun and meaningful to do with him before returning to work. However, life had other plans. “We came home from the NICU during winter sickness season and were trying to…

Volunteering virtually is such a great way to make an impact in your community. But don’t take our word for it. Let’s hear from Marisa, our Kid’s Club Program Leader this summer, about why she got involved and how she feels about her volunteer role with GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse.  “I wanted to connect with people…

During Covid when we first launched Virtual programming, we never realized how many new families we would begin to reach! Many families do not live close to a brick and mortar playhouse and because of this they were unable to take advantage of GiGi’s free purposeful programming and meet other families like theirs. But now…

“Every program I go to makes me smile. After a few weeks, the regular attendees knew me, and I know them, so it feels like we are forming meaningful friendships through the programs.”  Annika got involved in GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse programs, as well as physical programs at the San Diego playhouse, in hopes to gain…

Many of our volunteers come to us because their lives have been personally touched by knowing someone with Down syndrome. We have many volunteers who have a sibling with Down syndrome and choose to give back by volunteering through our virtual 1:1 tutoring program or virtual group programs.  Their passion for the Down syndrome community…

GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse has an incredible 1:1 math tutoring program where our math tutors are empowering their students by promoting a positive experience of learning mathematics with a sound foundation of basic number understanding. Our volunteers choose to become tutors for many reasons. One of our math tutors, Paul Guglielmo, told us “Volunteering was always important to…