The 2019 Charity Bash charity has been chosen after much deliberation by Student Council: this year, LZ will be raising money for Gigi’s Playhouse.

“I am so grateful that LZ has decided to raise money for us. We will be able to use that money to help offer our services to people that may not be able to afford it,” Nancy Gianni, founder of Gigi’s Playhouse, said. “We are forever grateful that students will help us do things and help expand our program, and we cannot thank you enough.”

Gigi’s Playhouse is a non-profit organization that helps family members who have Down Syndrome, be able to talk with other parents who have family members with Down Syndrome or to get services to help people with Down Syndrome perform successfully in society, such as getting a job, developing motor skills, or getting an education.

“I know that [my little girl] will stand. I know that she’s going to walk. I know that she’s going to run. I know it will take her longer to learn how to do these things, and I accept that she is on her own timeline,” said Lynne Eddis, parent of three-year-old named Susie* who has Down Syndrome.

Gigi’s Playhouse was founded around 16 years ago when Gianni gave birth to her daughter, Giuliana, who had Down Syndrome. Upon realizing that people thought that having a kid who has Down Syndrome was a burden, Gianni decided to start her own charity to show people that everyone should always be handed the same opportunities.

Down Syndrome, also called Trisomy 21, is when the body has an extra copy of the twenty-first chromosome. The extra chromosome can cause many obstacles that many people take for granted; such as being able to talk, walk, write, or learn at the same speed as those unaffected by Down Syndrome. If you want to find out more about how Down Syndrome affects a person, click here to get more information from the CDC.

“[I was] frustrated by negative reactions from her medical team and discovering an alarming absence of positive and practical resources for children and parents, I committed my life and unconditional love to giving Gigi (my nickname for Giuliana), and other individuals with Down syndrome, the best life possible,” Gianni said.

*Name changed for privacy reasons