Nancy Gianni realized that she now had a mission – to change the way the world sees Down syndrome and promote acceptance for all, while providing opportunities and support for GiGi and others like her.
When Nancy Gianni gave birth to her daughter, GiGi, 15 years ago, she thought she knew exactly what to expect of those early hours and days. She had already brought two babies into the world and was looking forward to another joyful celebration with family, friends and even the medical staff. But GiGi’s debut did not go as Nancy and Paul had planned. Her beautiful baby was unexpectedly diagnosed with Down syndrome, prompting many people surrounding the family to express their sorrow and concern. The negativity spread to the new mom, and she worried about the challenges down the road.
But when Nancy finally brought GiGi home, she soon had an awakening that was life-changing for her. “I realized that GiGi could do the same things that my other children could do. She was so much more than a diagnosis. She was a blessing in every way,” Nancy says.
It didn’t take long for Nancy to find renewed hope, but she thought about how much easier her journey would have been if she had immediately received encouragement and education. She thought about other families in her position and the loneliness and fear of those first days after diagnosis. She realized that she now had a mission – to change the way the world sees Down syndrome and promote acceptance for all, while providing opportunities and support for GiGi and others like her.
Those who know Nancy well weren’t surprised by her passion and the speed with which she began to pursue her vision. She soon founded the first GiGi’s Playhouse in Hoffman Estates, Ill., a place for families to celebrate their children and benefit from free, purposeful programs that build skills and promote confidence.
The first GiGi’s Playhouse was just the beginning of an extraordinary journey that has led to more than 35 Down syndrome achievement centers throughout the United States and in Mexico, with many more in the pipeline. In fact, 14 new playhouses are slated open in 2018 and hundreds of communities have inquired about getting one, including 24 international inquiries.
Why so much demand? Nancy Gianni says it’s because GiGi’s Playhouse meets the needs of an underserved population. More than 450,000 individuals with Down syndrome currently live in the United States. When parents and siblings are figured into the equation, that’s two million people who are facing Down syndrome. But, surprisingly, GiGi’s Playhouse is the only international network of Down syndrome achievement centers.
“There is an urgent need for the kinds of services we provide,” Nancy Gianni says. “That’s why growth is so important to us. We know there are so many more people who need our services, and we’re working to expand to more communities where we can make a difference.” Nancy’s ambitious goal is to have a playhouse or mobile unit serving every state in the U.S. and every major metro market by the end of 2021.
GiGi’s Playhouse currently serves 77,000 individuals of all ages, providing therapeutic, educational and career training programs – all for free. The organization makes a lifetime commitment to support and empower families from diagnosis to adulthood.
One of the most meaningful services GiGi’s provides, according to Nancy Gianni, is supporting families with newborn babies who have just been diagnosed. “When a new family walks through our door, we tell them, ‘Congratulations!’ We celebrate that baby as the blessing that he or she is, and we make sure family members know we will be here for them throughout the journey,” Gianni says. “And when they see all the smiles and positive attitudes throughout the colorful, inviting playhouse, they know they’ve come to the right place.”
This part of the mission is so important to Nancy because she knows how much she and her family would have benefitted from the acceptance and love of the GiGi’s Playhouse environment when GiGi was a baby. She says she relishes the opportunity to bring that support to families who are just getting used to the idea of a Down syndrome diagnosis.
As children grow, GiGi’s Playhouse provides them with programming that includes speech and language development, social development, gross motor development, academic support and health and wellness programs.
When participants become young adults, GiGi’s focuses on helping them build goals, career skills and self confidence in preparation for future employment or volunteer work. This is done through GiGi University, a comprehensive 12-week instructional program that helps participants develop their abilities in areas like communication, money management, customer service, computer skills, team building and wellness. They even work as interns in a career training program. When internships end, GiGi’s University helps with referrals and placement in jobs, and also works with employers to provide support as needed.
Chicago-area GiGi’s University graduates have the opportunity to intern at Hugs + Mugs, a popular specialty coffee and gelato café that is located next to the Hoffman Estates playhouse (2350 W. Higgins Rd.). Hugs + Mugs is run by adult mentors and interns, who are responsible for all aspects of the business. In addition to selling coffee and gelato, Hugs + Mugs features one-of-a-kind handmade art pieces and home décor items created by individuals with Down syndrome.
“Our programming targets many age groups, but the goal is always the same – to help participants reach their full potential, ability and possibility, and to do it for free so no one is left behind,” Gianni says.
CHANGING THE WORLD TOGETHER: Nancy knows how much she and her family would have
benefitted from the acceptance and love of the GiGi’s Playhouse environment when GiGi
was a baby. She says she relishes the opportunity to bring that support to families who
are just getting used to the idea of a Down syndrome diagnosis.
GiGi’s Playhouse has been able to continue to provide free services (more than 100,000 program sessions per year), even though it has experienced significant growth. Gianni gives much of the credit for this to her vast network of volunteers, who run 97 percent of the programs, and, of course, to an army of generous donors. Gianni and her team tirelessly fundraise, which has enabled GiGi’s to invest $3 million per year into its therapeutic, educational and career programs.
Providing a major assist on fundraising and awareness efforts is the organization’s Number One ambassador, GiGi Gianni herself. GiGi frequently travels with Nancy, appears on TV with her and speaks to groups. “I’m a big believer in miracles,” Gianni says, “and GiGi is my miracle. She gets into people’s hearts; she changes people.”
GiGi has charmed the likes of Chicago news anchors, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and TV host Mario Lopez, who was the celebrity guest of honor at the 2017 GiGi’s Playhouse Gala. But she’s quick to tell you that one of her favorite parts of her role is the opportunity to play with babies at the centers.
In addition to being the inspiration behind the playhouses, GiGi has inspired an entire movement, called Generation G, which is all about “going beyond Down syndrome and encouraging acceptance for all,” according to Gianni. “It’s a social change movement with the goal of breaking down stereotypes and barriers.” We all can be part of the change by the way we treat others in the world, by promoting acceptance for all through #GenerationG, which is a simply conscious decision to be better every day.
The theme of Generation G is simple: “Be accepting. Be generous. Be kind.” These ideas permeate everything Gianni does, and they’re the guiding force behind GiGi’s Playhouse.
Nancy Gianni has received many honors since opening her first playhouse in 2002, including being named a 2016 CNN Hero. She is now about to add author to her list of accomplishments, with a memoir set to be published later this year. Called “#GenerationG,” the book chronicles Gianni’s mission to change perception following GiGi’s birth, a mission that has evolved into a global enterprise that is changing lives every day.
In spite of the recognition she has received, Gianni insists that Generation G and GiGi’s Playhouse are not about her, or even GiGi. “What matters most is that we all step up and do our part to make the world more accepting and a better place,” she says.
She adds that the GiGi’s Playhouse participants keep her going through the struggles she encounters. “They and their courageous families are the real heroes. They inspire me every day.”•
ABOUT GIGI’S PLAYHOUSE
GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center’s mission is to change the way the world views Down syndrome through national campaigns, educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community. GiGi’s Playhouse offers free therapeutic and educational programming to individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KELLI HARTSOCK
Source Exceptional Parent Magazine
