More Than a Donation: Why Becoming a 3.21 Champion Matters
This week, one of our participants walked into the Playhouse, stopped in her tracks, and immediately noticed our brand-new 3.21 Wall. With a huge smile, she pointed to a photo of herself and proudly showed it to everyone around her. Her excitement was contagious and a wonderful reminder of why...
Welcoming Two New Members to the GiGi’s Playhouse Westchester Board of Directors
At GiGi's Playhouse Westchester, our mission is powered by an incredible community of families, volunteers, supporters, and leaders who believe in acceptance, achievement, and opportunity for individuals with Down syndrome. As we continue to grow and expand our impact throughout Westchester and beyond, strong leadership is essential to ensuring that...
From Nervous to Confident: Anna’s Achiever Success Story
One of the most rewarding parts of the GiGi Prep Achievers program is watching participants grow in confidence as they develop new skills and take on new challenges. This spring semester, our Achievers had the opportunity to do exactly that when they planned and operated their very own café for...
The 2026 Above & Beyond Award for Oustanding Volunteerism goes to …. Read to discover who!
At GiGi’s Playhouse Westchester, our volunteers are the heart of everything we do, and each year we take great pride in recognizing individuals who truly go above and beyond in service to our community. This year, we were honored to celebrate Carolyn Frost, whose unwavering dedication, compassion, and generosity have...
I Am Smart, Strong, and Determined
by Kacie Rooney, Inspirational Speaker 2026 Kacie has been an integral part of our community for many years, participating in a wide range of programs and building meaningful friendships along the way. When asked to be this year’s Inspirational Self Advocate Speaker, she was truly honored and excited to take...
2025 Playhouse Renovation: Building Community & Our Future
A Year That Changed Everything What started as a dream for a bigger, more accessible home became a journey of perseverance and community power. In August 2024, we packed up our Playhouse and moved everything into storage, excited for a big move into our new space. After renovations, we expected...
Help Us Open Our Doors: The Final Push to Finish GiGi’s Playhouse Westchester!
Regeneron "Day for Doing Good" Volunteers It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come! After months of planning, trying to get our permits, then construction, our new GiGi’s Playhouse is finally taking shape. The walls are up, the rooms are coming to life, and you can feel the excitement in...
Making It Happen: Spring Tutoring Session Delivers Despite the Odds
This spring, our one-to-one literacy and math tutoring programs looked a little different—but thanks to our incredible tutors, participants, and families, they were just as impactful as ever. With our new location still under construction, our tutoring team rose to the challenge of finding creative ways to meet with students....
Team Work makes the Dream Work!
Looking Back to Move Forward: Our Summer of Change at the Playhouse Last summer was a whirlwind at the Playhouse—a blur of boxes, laughter, teamwork, and a whole lot of sweat equity. In just two short months, we undertook the monumental task of relocating our entire Playhouse after nearly a...
GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge 2025 – Amazing!
Our annual GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge run, walk, and Kids Dash was incredible! Even the rain didn't stop us! GiGIFIT Acceptance Challenge Highlights: 7 Mighty Teams The top three teams showed incredible resilience, battling for the top spot until the last moment. Their determination was truly inspiring. Team OVI Edward's incredible...
Volunteer Highlight
April is volunteer appreciation month! Our organization is 99% volunteer-led and relies 100% on our volunteers' dedication, passion, generosity, and enthusiasm to provide free and purposeful programming for our entire community. To kick off Volunteer Appreciation Week, we spotlight one of our remarkable volunteers, Jennifer Sanchez. Since July 2021, Jennifer...
Ronald MacDonald House Testimonial
Since the summer, our adult programs have focused on volunteering within our local community. The Achievers and GiGi Prep students have been regularly visiting the Ronald McDonald House Greater Hudson Valley on Mondays to bake delicious treats for the families staying there. GiGi Prep showcasing their baked goods! We are...