GiGi's Playhouse Fargo

10/03/2025

💛 Thank You, Arby’s! 💛

A huge shoutout to North Fargo Arby’s and Moorhead Arby’s for their incredible generosity in raising funds for GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo this past August! Your support helps us continue providing programs and services that make a real difference for our families. 🙌

We are so grateful for partners like you who make acceptance and inclusion possible every day! 💙

10/03/2025

A Very Special Night in GiGi’s Kitchen! 🍕✨

In August, Governor Kelly Armstrong stopped by GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo for a visit — and one program in particular caught his attention: GiGi’s Kitchen.

He was so inspired by what he heard that he made a promise to come back and experience it firsthand.

Last night, he followed through in the best way possible! Governor Armstrong, his wife Kjersti, and Lt. Governor Michelle Strinden joined our participants in the kitchen — rolling up their sleeves to cook, laugh, and make memories together.

From pizza-making to one-on-one connection, the joy was overflowing. ❤️

To top it all off, the Governor surprised our participants with his official challenge coin, gifted as a keepsake to remember this incredible night.

Thank you, Governor Armstrong, Kjersti, and Lt. Governor Strinden, for not just visiting — but participating. Your presence showed true leadership through action, and it meant the world to our community.

Let’s hear it for nights like this 👏

10/02/2025

🌟 October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month! 🌟

This year, we’re celebrating with our 31 for 21 Challenge—31 ways to honor, advocate, and spread acceptance for individuals with Down syndrome! 💛💙

🎯 How to participate:

Wear blue & yellow and share a photo 🧦

Donate $21 in honor of 21 chromosomes 💛

Write notes of encouragement or share your story

Do a kind act each day—high-fives, compliments, or small acts of generosity 🙌💙
…and so much more!

Every action, big or small, spreads love, acceptance, and joy in our community. Follow along each day, share your efforts, and help us make this month unforgettable!

💛 Check out all 31 ways to participate!

10/02/2025

Because of generous sponsors like Give N Go Powered by PACE, we were able to host an amazing Dash for a Decade. Whether you sponsored, donated, ran, cheered or walked, YOU made a difference for GiGi's families.

If you are wanting to keep the impact going, sign up for a GiveNGo subscription and enjoy discounts while 51% of your fee goes directly back to us. Let's make every day count!
https://ow.ly/YxnN50X5KxK

10/01/2025

10/01/2025

💜 What. A. Day. 💜

Our Dash for a Decade was nothing short of AMAZING! From start to finish, the day was filled with acceptance, joy, and pure fun — and we couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather to celebrate with all of you!

Because of YOU — our families, friends, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and teams — we not only showed up in a big way…

🎉 WE REACHED OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL! 🎉

That means 2 full months of FREE GiGi’s programs are officially funded — empowering individuals with Down syndrome to keep learning, growing, and shining at no cost to their families.

To everyone who walked, ran, cheered, donated, danced, high-fived, bounced, hugged, or smiled along the way —

THANK YOU for fueling acceptance. THANK YOU for showing up. THANK YOU for believing in our mission.

✨ This wasn’t just a walk — it was a movement.
✨ And we’re just getting started.

Drop your favorite moment or photo from the day in the comments! 👇💚💛

09/29/2025

We are honored to be a part of this years Caring Catalog! When you donate through this years caring catalog, 100% of your donation goes to GiGi’s!

It's officially LIVE now! Please use this link to view all participants! https://fargo.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/grant

✨ It’s here! The is officially LIVE! ✨

From September 29 – December 2, you can explore and support incredible local nonprofits making a difference in our community. 💙🧡💚

Visit 👉 areafoundation.org/caringcatalog
to discover all the participating charities and find the causes that matter most to you.

Together, let’s make this season of giving one to remember! 🌟

09/28/2025

Thank you KVRR News for highlighting our event!

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) — GiGi’s Playhouse celebrated its ten-year anniversary on Sunday with a high-energy, family-fun event. Families a part of GiGi’s Playhouse teamed up to walk or run through the annual GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge. From both a 5k Fun Run to the 1-Mile Inspirational Walk. F...

09/27/2025

🚨 Final Fundraising Leaderboard Drop! 🚨
Tomorrow is the BIG DAY — and we’ll be announcing our Top 3 Fundraising Teams LIVE at the GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge: Dash for a Decade! 🎤🏆

But guess what…

We are just $2,000 away from our $70,000 goal!! 🎯💜

There is STILL time to shake up this leaderboard 👇
A single donation — or a few rally texts to friends & family — could move your team up before tomorrow’s reveal!

✅ Every registration and every donation counts toward your team total.
✅ Top 3 teams win BIG prizes — including a hotel stay at The Clubhouse and Scheels gift cards!

Let’s finish strong, together.
👉 Donate or register at: https://ow.ly/l6tb50X3f7N

See you TOMORROW for the celebration of the decade! 🎉

09/27/2025

🎉 Big News for Our 10-Year Celebration! 🎉

What better way to celebrate 10 incredible years of impact than by welcoming a new leader into our GiGi’s Playhouse family?

We are thrilled to introduce Dr. Kira Knutson as the new Executive Director of GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo!

While her official start date is October 1st, Kira didn’t want to miss out on the fun — so you might just spot her at some of our anniversary events this weekend. 👀

Kira comes to us with nearly a decade of experience in education and community leadership, with roles across K-12 schools and higher education institutions like MSUM, Concordia, Macalester, and Harvard University. She is also a talented musician, program developer, and passionate advocate for connection and inclusion.

She and her husband, Steve, live in Fargo with their three children and rescue pup, Ham — and she’s so excited to be part of the GiGi’s family!

Please join us in giving her the warmest GiGi’s welcome! 💜 We are so excited for her leadership as we enter our next decade of growth and impact.

Drop a welcome message for Kira in the comments below! 👇

09/26/2025

🎉 Today we celebrate 10 YEARS of GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo! 🎉

Ten years ago, we opened our doors for the first time, not knowing the incredible journey ahead. From our grand opening, to an expansion, to rebuilding after a devastating fire—one thing has never changed: our commitment to serving families. 💜

✨ In the past 10 years, we’ve had over 26,000 program participation hours
✨ We’ve welcomed over 245 families (and counting!)
✨ We continue to break participation records year after year

We are so grateful for the unwavering support of our community—we truly couldn’t have done this without YOU. 💛

Here’s to the next 10 years of growth, impact, and acceptance! 💪

09/26/2025

🚨 It’s almost time to celebrate… and we’ve got donuts waiting for YOU! 🍩

Join us tomorrow, Saturday, September 27th, 9–11 AM for GiGi’s 10-Year Anniversary Open House + Open Play 💜

➡️ Explore the Playhouse
➡️ Enjoy coffee + Sandy’s Donuts
➡️ Celebrate 10 years of impact & connection

This milestone is all about YOU—our families, volunteers, and community. Don’t miss it! ✨

📍 GiGi’s Playhouse Fargo
📅 RSVP on our calendar (drop-ins welcome too!)