11/05/2026
Believe in Naila. 💜
Naila’s mom was packing to go home from the hospital when a neonatologist walked in with news the family didn’t expect: Naila has Down syndrome. A whirlwind NICU stay followed, along with a stack of referrals and a heart full of overwhelming emotions.
So she sent a simple message to GiGi’s Playhouse Charlotte: “What is this place?” The reply came back fast, full of what felt like virtual hugs, and an invitation to stop by anytime.
When she walked in with Naila, just a few weeks old, she was terrified. She cried with people she had only just met. They listened, and they showed her all the ways GiGi’s could support Naila, her siblings, and her parents too. In her words: “I took a deep breath, for the first time in weeks.”
Today, three years later, the whole family belongs here, from LMNOP and the new caregiver support group to the GiGi’s 5K. Naila’s big brother and sister come too. And for her first two birthdays, the only gift the family asked for was donations to GiGi’s.
“It’s a community that’s there for you, always, in every way they can be. It’s irreplaceable.”
Naila is not alone. More families than ever are turning to our free programs. But while our reach is growing, our funding is not.
We are working to raise $50,000 in the next two months to keep programs strong for Naila and so many others.
Give today. Believe in what’s possible. Believe in GiGi’s Playhouse Charlotte.
Donate here- https://ow.ly/yu1U51008l3
