Twenty cents
of every dollar.

When someone buys a bracelet at the BFF stand, twenty cents of every dollar is set aside for a charity before anything else gets paid — before beads, before string, before anything goes in the founders' own pockets.

It's not a year-end gesture or a rounded-up gift at checkout. It's the first line item on every receipt. Every other weekend, when Lia, Marina, and Olivia close out the stand and count what they made, the first pile of dollars has somewhere to go.

GiGi's Playhouse is the only network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers in the world. Founded in 2003 by Nancy Gianni — a mother who wanted more for her daughter GiGi — the organization has grown to more than 61 brick-and-mortar locations across the United States and Mexico, with over 200 inquiries to open new locations worldwide.

Every day, GiGi's provides life-changing programs to more than 30,000 individuals of all ages — all completely free.

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal disability in the country — and yet it is the least funded. GiGi's Playhouse exists to close that gap, empowering individuals and families with the tools, programs, and community they need to thrive.

The Long Island location in Patchogue was the first and only GiGi's Playhouse on Long Island. It was made possible through years of grassroots fundraising by board president Mike Cirigliano, whose niece has Down syndrome.

The 3,375-square-foot space includes private tutoring rooms, sensory rooms, a library, a crafts area, and a karaoke & theatre stage — entirely volunteer-run.