{"id":157945,"date":"2025-04-28T12:13:55","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T18:13:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/?p=157945"},"modified":"2025-04-28T12:13:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T18:13:55","slug":"building-strength-and-confidence-chloes-journey-at-gigis-virtual-playhouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/building-strength-and-confidence-chloes-journey-at-gigis-virtual-playhouse\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Strength and Confidence: Chloe\u2019s Journey at GiGi\u2019s Virtual Playhouse\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/files\/2025\/04\/VPH-Volunteer-Spotlight-Chloe-MC.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-157946\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/files\/2025\/04\/VPH-Volunteer-Spotlight-Chloe-MC.png 600w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/files\/2025\/04\/VPH-Volunteer-Spotlight-Chloe-MC-300x150.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chloe is a genetic counseling student who has found an incredible way to merge her passion for advocacy with her love of fitness through GiGi\u2019s Virtual Playhouse. In her work in the genetic counseling field, she supports many individuals with Down syndrome and their families, and she quickly realized that true advocacy isn\u2019t confined to the clinic. It extends into everyday life, into moments of laughter and shared accomplishment. That realization drew her to GiGi\u2019s Playhouse\u2014its mission to promote confidence, strength, and belonging for people with Down syndrome resonated deeply with her, and she knew she wanted to be part of something so meaningful.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every week, Chloe leads GiGiFIT Adult, a virtual program specially designed to help participants build physical strength and self\u2011confidence. Sessions begin with simple cardio moves to get hearts pumping and smiles beaming. The class then moves into strength exercises\u2014bodyweight squats, seated punches, and resistance\u2011band rows\u2014that challenge muscles and boost the sense of achievement. As participants grow stronger, more advanced variations are introduced, always encouraging each person to push themselves at their own pace. Finally, sessions conclude with stretches and a celebration of how far everyone has come, complete with high\u2011fives and words of encouragement. Watching participants master movements they once thought impossible\u2014those \u201caha!\u201d moments when someone lights up with pride\u2014reminds Chloe why she volunteers: it\u2019s not just about fitness, it\u2019s about witnessing growth, courage, and community spirit in action.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When she isn\u2019t volunteering with GiGi\u2019s Playhouse, Chloe is immersed in Stanford University\u2019s Genetic Counseling Master\u2019s Program. Between coursework and clinical rotations, she recharges by exploring her creative side with watercolor painting, hitting local hiking trails for fresh air and inspiration, and spending quality time with friends and family. These hobbies keep her balanced and energize her for both her studies and her volunteer work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Volunteering at GiGi\u2019s Virtual Playhouse has been one of the most impactful experiences of Chloe\u2019s life. She learns just as much from the participants as they learn from her\u2014patience, creativity, resilience, and the power of a supportive community. <strong>For anyone looking for a way to give back, build new skills, and make genuine connections, she wholeheartedly recommends joining GiGi\u2019s Playhouse<\/strong>. Every bit of support helps further the mission of empowering individuals with Down syndrome, one movement at a time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inspired by Chloe&#8217;s story?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/volunteer\/\">Join us as a volunteer<\/a>\u00a0and be part of something truly special!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chloe is a genetic counseling student who has found an incredible way to merge her passion for advocacy with her love of fitness through GiGi\u2019s Virtual Playhouse. In her work in the genetic counseling field, she supports many individuals with Down syndrome and their families, and she quickly realized that true advocacy isn\u2019t confined to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5427,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wpo365_audiences":[],"wpo365_private":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[47,10,68,71,29],"class_list":["post-157945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-acceptance","tag-down-syndrome","tag-fitness","tag-virtual-playhouse","tag-virtual-volunteer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5427"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157945"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157945\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/virtual\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}