We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelci Wilner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kelci , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

As a non-profit organization, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our fundraising efforts and overall financial picture. Like everyone else, we were significantly impacted by the pandemic and took a major setback after only being open for a few years. Fundraising across the board was virtually nonexistent in 2020 and barely came back in 2021, however we knew how important it was to our families and participants to keep our doors open and programs available, so we had to get creative. Our team hosted “drive thru” events at the playhouse where families could still come visit and have fun while maintaining the safety and social distancing, we hosted a virtual 5k for our community to participate in, and other activities throughout those two years. We really had to stick together as a team during this time to focus on what’s most important, serving our Down syndrome community!

Kelci , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was first introduced to the disability world when I was in elementary school. I had a “Big Sister” who ran the Special Olympics program for my school district. I began volunteering with her and continued for many years throughout high school. Of course it was fun, but I really got to learn a lot through the individuals we served, who had all different types of abilities. Fast forward a handful of years after I had been living in Pacific Beach, I was looking for a new organization where I could get involved and volunteer my time. GiGi’s Playhouse San Diego had just opened down the street from my house, so I attended a volunteer orientation and fell in love. GiGi’s Playhouse is a non-profit that supports individuals of ALL ages with Down syndrome, their families, and the community by providing FREE educational, therapeutic, and career development programs. We’re committed to helping individuals and families reach their highest potential.
GiGi’s Playhouse is 98% volunteer-driven, allowing nearly all donations to go directly to our programs. Our amazing volunteers enhance our offerings and help create a vibrant, supportive community.
Together, we can create a brighter future for individuals with Down syndrome and make a meaningful impact in our community.
I would say the thing that sets us apart is our ongoing mission of ACCEPTANCE, not only for individuals with Down syndrome, but for everyone! Our vision is to see a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted and embraced in their families, schools, and communities. We are always actively working within our community to increase awareness and education so that we can make our mission a reality.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

This is a funny story…. I had been volunteering at GiGi’s for maybe 6 months or so when we were getting ready to launch our literacy tutoring program, which I was really excited to be a part of. I was matched with Lindsey, who was around 1st grade at the time. Lindsey is so vibrant, and we had so much fun during our tutoring sessions. I really got to watch her grow and excel with her reading and comprehension skills. Throughout this time, I had met with her mom, Karen, weekly to share how our sessions were going and Lindsey’s progress. Little did I know, Karen was actually the Board President and one of the few who brought GiGi’s Playhouse to San Diego to get us launched in 2018. Although I was SO embarrassed, Karen and I have gone on to have a great relationship over the years. So much so, that she later invited me to join the Board of Directors, and since then, I have taken over her role as Board President when it was her time to “retire”.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Our business model is interesting, where we have one full time employee and one part time employee, and everyone else is a volunteer. So, our two staff members work HARD! They have a lot of things to juggle all the time, and it’s not easy. And as a growing business, we have high expectations. Fortunately, we have an incredible team between our staff, board members, and volunteers, and we work really well together. I’ll be the first one to say that I am not perfect and am certainly not a perfect boss. But we communicate really well, and I think that is extremely important for any team. I always try to reenforce the positives, and approach areas of opportunity with tangible ideas for changes and improvement. I also try to be very receptive to feedback knowing that we all have opportunities to grow.
Overall, our team all really believes in the work that we do and our mission, and I think that’s what keeps us going strong together!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gigisplayhouse.org/sandiego/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/gigissandiego
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiGisSanDiego/
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/gigi-s-san-diego-40a41b2a5
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gigissandiego1693