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Spotlight: GiGi's Playhouse

8/6/2021

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About GiGi’s Playhouse
The first GiGi’s Playhouse was founded in 2003 by Nancy Gianni, in Hoffman Estates, IL. Since then, it has expanded to 54+ different locations including one in Raleigh, NC founded in part by Michelle Pfeiffer, who is the current president. Michelle and the other founders of Gigi’s Playhouse wanted to create a loving environment for children and adults with down syndrome that could provide a multitude of classes and resources. In addition, GiGi’s Playhouse works to raise awareness around Down syndrome and show others that people with Down syndrome are more alike than different. Creating a place like this was especially important to Michelle, as she has a daughter with Down syndrome and helpful resources in the Raleigh area were scarce before GiGi’s.

GiGi’s Playhouse offers dancing, music, fitness, yoga, art, socialization, tutoring, speech, and gratitude programs. There are programs offered for all ages, including offerings for mothers expecting a child with Down syndrome. Some programs are virtual which allow for people from all over the state to attend, while others are in person.

Generation G Youth Board
At GiGi’s Playhouse, they have a board of volunteer teens who are passionate about GiGi’s. Their goals are to build awareness, to serve as program volunteers, and to support fundraising. They achieve these goals by holding community events like Car Washes and Bingo Nights, as well as hosting the High Five Challenge events at local universities to educate the community about Down syndrome. Board members also have a greater responsibility within the Playhouse, as they co-lead programs and host events such as Fall Fest. In addition, each board member must volunteer at least 30 hours a year, and the board as a whole averages over 300 hours annually. 

The Future of GiGi’s Playhouse
Next June, GiGi’s Playhouse is moving from Raleigh to the Walker Building in the new Downtown Cary Park area. This will allow more space for classes and tutoring, as well as giving GiGi’s Playhouse access to the retail businesses and new park in Downtown. When GiGi’s Playhouse in Raleigh was founded five years ago, it provided help to 300 families. Now, it helps over 800 families and is continuing to grow. 

Volunteer
Volunteers can help out with any of the amazing programs GiGi’s Playhouse provides. The commitment and work you will be doing will vary depending on the program. You can also volunteer in an administrative or general role, for example, marketing or writing a blog. Another way you can volunteer for Gigi’s Playhouse is volunteering for an event, for example, helping with decorations or food and beverage. 

I had the opportunity to volunteer at GiGi’s Playhouse recently at their Gratitude Program. Seeing the smiles from the participants as they were greeted by the volunteers, who they call friends, warmed my heart. GiGi’s has created a powerful community for those with Down syndrome and for the volunteers lucky enough to experience the love showcased there.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please click this link:
​ https://gigisplayhouse.org/raleigh/volunteer/ 
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Incorporating Volunteering into Corporate Wellness Programs

8/5/2021

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Employee volunteering is highly important to the workplace, and if businesses want to support their employees’ engagement efforts, they should consider including volunteering in their wellness program. There are many benefits to incorporating volunteering into a wellness program:
  1. By incorporating volunteering into your wellness program, you demonstrate to your employees that they are valued and appreciated. Employees want to feel as if they have a purpose, so by acknowledging their volunteer service, you are acknowledging their hard work and dedication to their community. This helps employees feel like trusted and purposeful members of the team, which boosts their self-confidence, productivity, and work ethic.
  2. Incorporating volunteering into your wellness program will increase teamwork and team growth in the workplace. Volunteering is a team effort that requires a lot of collaborative thinking and reliance on your peers. By integrating volunteering into your wellness program, your employees will spend more time cooperating with each other and other members of the community. This will most likely translate into a more collaborative and efficient work environment.
  3. Incorporating volunteering into your wellness program will promote employee self-assurance and self-confidence. Volunteering requires problem-solving abilities, altruism, and strong social skills. When employees become involved in volunteer opportunities, they develop and improve upon these skills, and they become more confident in applying these skills to their work. After volunteering, most employees are more likely to take on greater challenges in their workplace.
  4. Volunteering is good for employees’ physical and mental health, making it essential to your wellness program. There are a myriad of health benefits to volunteering that will create a stronger, healthier, more productive workplace. For instance, volunteering helps employees to manage their stress better and prevent ‘burn-out’, a feeling of mental exhaustion. Volunteering has also been shown to lead to longer, happier, and more fulfilling lives.
  5. Incorporating volunteering into your wellness program helps connect your employees to their community. During Covid-19, employees have felt isolated from their communities, especially if they were working from home. Volunteering helps people to make connections and relationships within their broader community, and they can meet people with different backgrounds and perspectives. This can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and encourage employees to be more social.
There are many ways to incorporate volunteers into your wellness program to recognize and appreciate their hard work and dedication. Businesses can support volunteering by offering paid volunteer hours so that employees are given time for service, or businesses host drives, special events, or fundraisers within their company to show their support. Businesses can even create staff teams for community events like 5ks and fundraising races to encourage their employees to take part. Lastly, businesses should recognize their employees who show exemplary service to their community; showing your appreciation for volunteers is the best way to make your employees feel important.

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    Authors

    Jordan Hannan and Jordan Lappin

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