Gigi's Playhouse: a Nonprofit Helping Children With Down Syndrome

INTRO: Strike a Chord is WFUV's seasonal public service campaign which highlights non-profit organizations in the tri-state area who focus on topics important to the community. This season's campaign highlights nonprofits helping people with neurodiversity. One of these organizations is Gigi's Playhouse. WFUV's Lainey Nguyen talked with Tracy Smith who is the Executive Director of the organization's Westchester branch to hear more about its work. 

NGUYEN: Could you briefly explain what your organization does? 

SMITH: Gigi’s Playhouse Westchester is an achievement center for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.Our programming goes all the way through from pre diagnosis all the way through to adulthood. We provide one to one educational programs from the age of three up through adulthood. And we offer group, therapeutic, educational, and, uh, fitness and social programs to everyone. 

NGUYEN: That's wonderful. And could you, that all sounds really important, could you tell me the mission of Gigi's Playhouse? 

SMTH: So our mission is to change how the world views Down syndrome and send a message of acceptance for all. And our vision is to see a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted and embraced in their families, schools, and communities. 

NGUYEN: Do you have a personal story or a story of one of the members of the Playhouse that you really felt that the organization made an impact on someone?  

SMITH: There's so many but one story that kind of stands out is we've welcomed many families after they've received the diagnosis prenatally. They come to just get an idea of what it's like. So we always welcome them. This one family came to us. They were pregnant. They just received their diagnosis. We gave them a tour and they were so eager to join that they came, I think it was the following week to our family meeting and they were just welcomed with open arms. They were told congratulations which is so important. And she came back with a list of phone numbers. Emails. She was so happy and she was feeling so positive and determined. The next thing we heard was that their baby girl was born on July 4th of that year. Since then, they told their friends and their family and it's just been amazing to see the impact that we've had on that family and the fact that they attend on a regular basis now. 

OUTRO: That was WFUV's Lainey Nguyen speaking with Tracy Smith.