New nonprofit center brings meaningful support to families of loved ones with Down syndrome.
Families in the Lowcountry who have been searching for engagement and community for individuals with Down syndrome have found a new home, or, in this case, a new playhouse. Last spring, GiGi’s Playhouse, a nationally known nonprofit that provides free, purposeful programs for people with Down syndrome, opened its first South Carolina location in North Charleston. For many local families, GiGi’s Playhouse has already become a second home.
How the North Charleston location came to life
The vision for a local GiGi’s Playhouse location began four years ago, spurred by parents like Marie Myers, now the founding board president. Her daughter, who has Down syndrome, was only 2 years old when the project began. “We did a lot of research. The closest GiGi’s was in North Carolina, so most people here had not heard of it yet,” she recalled. “But as we met adults with Down syndrome here, we realized how much they needed programming that they didn’t grow up with; things like literacy, math tutoring, fitness and therapeutic support.” That is why the North Charleston location launched with a strong emphasis on adult programs in addition to serving infants, children and teens.
Every program at GiGi’s Playhouse is curated to help its patrons. “People with Down syndrome often have low muscle tone, so our fitness and motor programs support body and mind,” Myers explained. “Literacy tutoring is available for ages 3 and up, and math tutoring is coming this spring. Everything is free to families.”
A place to belong for participants and caregivers
For Courtney Corish, whose adult brother Kyle moved from Maryland just as GiGi’s opened, the timing felt like fate. “It was perfect,” she said. “He had a tough adjustment after moving, especially since some programs in Maryland struggled after COVID. But at Gigi’s, his confidence and happiness are off the charts.” She and Kyle discussed how he lights up at GiGi’s Playhouse karaoke nights, dance parties and the GiGiFIT workouts he does proudly. “His personality shines for days after he goes,” Corish added. “Everyone there is so genuine. It’s a family from day one.”
Parents and caregivers have also found their “village” there. GiGi’s offers a dedicated family corner and events like yoga nights for mothers. “You connect with people who understand your world,” Corish says. “We haven’t experienced that with other programs.”
Part of a broader inclusive community
For many participants, GiGi’s Playhouse is part of a broader community that includes organizations such as Heart SC, which offers fine-arts-based programs for disabled adults of all abilities. Lizzie Kerrison shared how Eliza, her 31-year-old daughter and a Heart SC participant, has joined Gigi’s programs when possible. “Both places give her joy,” she smiled. “At Heart, she performs in shows, sings and does theater and art. At GiGi’s, she’s welcomed just as warmly. These programs help adults build confidence, creativity and friendships.”
That inclusivity is intentional. “We won’t turn people away,” Myers said. “Friends, siblings and other family members come. It builds empathy and community.”
Now that GiGi’s Playhouse is open, Myers said the most rewarding part is seeing families find hope. “When a parent gets a prenatal diagnosis, there’s often a grieving period,” she explained. “But if they come in for a tour and meet these amazing families, it helps them see that life will be different but not any less incredible.”
And in North Charleston, thanks to GiGi’s Playhouse and the broader network of organizations like Heart SC, the Down syndrome community now has more room to grow.
By Anne Toole
