Jennifer Gage's monumental work for the Phoenix chapter of GiGi's is scratching the surface of her nomination as a finalist for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award.
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00:00 My name is Jennifer Gage.
00:04 My role here at Gigi's Playhouse is the founder of the Phoenix chapter.
00:10 For people with Down syndrome, Gigi's provides free educational, therapeutic, and job skill programs.
00:18 I would say Gigi's Playhouse is magical.
00:21 When you walk in the door, you smile.
00:24 Good morning!
00:26 Julie, look how big you are!
00:28 You see love. You see acceptance.
00:32 You see a mother who walks in in tears, find another mother that she can talk to.
00:37 The Down syndrome population in Maricopa County is about 7,000 individuals.
00:43 We serve a little over a thousand of those individuals and their families.
00:48 Good morning, good morning, good morning to you.
00:57 The minute we walked in, we knew, and a lot of people say that, but you just kind of feel comfortable.
01:04 I like my friends, cooking, and yoga, and cafe.
01:13 The things that are happening at Gigi's are life-changing to the individual with Down syndrome and their families.
01:20 Because families that thought, "Hey, you know, my young person is never going to read," now they're reading.
01:26 And that is spectacular.
01:29 I would describe Jennifer Gage as someone who is fearless.
01:34 She is Gigi's Playhouse.
01:37 Having a daughter with Down syndrome, it means that we're changing the world.
01:42 And we're changing the world one child at a time.
01:46 She's not only a crusader, but she is a visionary.
01:53 She lives the mission.
01:55 What you see as part of us, you see because of Jennifer.
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