Posts by Tracy Smith
GiGi’s, Friends, Connect, and Family
Each month, we host a family group on the first Saturday at 10:00 am. All families are welcome, but we typically welcome families with children under the age of 6. The program is facilitated by two experienced program leaders who encourage discussions, sharing of experiences, and networking while high school or middle school volunteers play…
Read MoreIntroducing – Westchester’s Generation G Youth Board
We love our volunteers! Earlier this year, a sibling of one of our participants approached us and asked if she could start a Youth Board at our Playhouse. Mira was very passionate and quickly recruited her friends to join her. We reached out to other local High Schools and now have 8 members from Hastings…
Read MoreVolunteer Spotlight – Kelly
“Volunteering is an act of heroism on a grand scale. And it matters profoundly. It does more than help people beat the odds; it changes the odds.” – William J. Clinton GiGi’s Playhouse is 99% volunteer-led. As an organization, we are extremely proud of this. We are beyond grateful for our amazing volunteers’ dedication, motivation, enthusiasm,…
Read MoreInspirational Molly, Self-Advocate, Silences the Room at the Gala.
Our Annual ‘i have a Voice’ Gala always invites a self-advocate to speak, to tell their story and what GiGi’s Playhouse means to them. This year, we were excited to welcome Molly to the podium. Molly did a great job overcoming her nerves to deliver a tear-jerker of a speech. Her reward was hugs from…
Read More#MyDSStory – Sibling Power!
During Down Syndrome Acceptance Month, we asked our families and community to share stories as part of a #myDSstory campaign. This submission is from an amazing sibling who is constantly changing the way the world views Down Syndrome! “My sister, Ali, who is fourteen months younger than me, is the most hard-working, resilient, and compassionate…
Read MoreSpring Literacy Project Series – Rejected Love Short Story
As our Spring 2022 session comes to a close, we are delighted to share some amazing Level 3 projects from our participants. In the first of a series, we would like to introduce you to Molly. Molly is 20 years old and is a regular participant at GiGi’s Playhouse Westchester. She attends or has attended…
Read MoreWelcome to GiGi’s Playhouse Westchester
We are thrilled to welcome Krystal Valera as our new Operations Coordinator. Krystal joined our Team at the beginning of April and has enjoyed meeting families this month both at the playhouse and virtually. Krystal resides in Yonkers, NY with her husband and two children. She earned her BA in Elementary Education. Krystal has worked…
Read MoreVolunteer Appreciation 2022
GiGi’s Playhouse Westchester loves our Volunteers! We cannot do what we do without the enthusiasm, dedication, generosity, and motivation of our outstanding volunteer team. Since 2021, we have welcomed 168 new volunteer applications to our Playhouse and we have a total of 112 active volunteers, many of who have been with us for some time.…
Read More2021 In Review
As 2021 ends, we look back at the challenges, successes, and accomplishments of this year! 2021 was another tough year, still dealing with the fluid nature of the Pandemic. Our planning consisted of many questions that we did not know the answers to. Can we reopen yet? Is it safe to welcome families back? How do we keep…
Read More‘Tis The Season For Giving
Please consider supporting us on Giving Tuesday (November 30th), which is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Giving Tuesday is ‘a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.” We are continually grateful to all our volunteers, donors, and supporters for making a positive and transformational impact on…
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