20 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | JANUARY 2020 CAREY'S CORNER CONTINUED WHEN YOU GIVE UP TO $800 TO DUET, YOU GET BACK UP TO $800 ON YOUR TAXES. Your donation to Duet delivers compassion, dignity, and hope right here in our community to homebound adults, family caregivers, faith communities, and grandfamilies. “We brought our grandchildren into our home so they could be safe and healthy. We try to provide as many activities and as normal as a life as possible, and Duet gives us the tools and support to do that. — Stanley, a grandparent raising three grandchildren Duet is a Qualifying Arizona Charitable Tax Credit Organization. • Donate to Duet and keep your donation receipt • File AZ Form 321 with your tax return • Receive a dollar-for-dollar Arizona tax credit; individuals can receive up to $400 and couples filing jointly up to $800 • You do not have to itemize • This tax credit may be claimed in addition to school and foster care tax credits • You have until April 15 to take advantage of the AZ Charitable Tax Credit for the 2019 tax year. duetaz.org/donate | (602) 274-5022 Since the birth of Gianni’s daughter, and the founding of GiGi’s Playhouse, the nonprofit organization has expanded to 46 cities with the primary mission to “change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all.” Phoenix mom Jennifer Gage no longer felt alone. As her voice grew more commanding, she began to advocate not only for her daughter but for the thousands of children with Down syndrome in the Phoenix area. “They really can’t speak for themselves, so we have to be their advocates,” Gage told me when we sat down for an on-camera interview. “I think in today’s environment, we have to take care of one another, and especially if you have diminished capacity, you are at increased risk. We need to step up and take care of these young kids and adults and become their voice.” We all have it in us to find our voice. I’ve seen it happen in the most remarkable ways over the years as I’ve covered tragedy and triumph as a news reporter and anchor. Our voices are our strength and our power. We can do great things with them. We can inspire change, speak the truth and question wrongdoing. We can lift others up if we choose. But how we use our voice is, ultimately, a choice for all of us. Gage found herself on a mission to use her voice powerfully, growing GiGi’s platform in Phoenix and providing help — and, perhaps most importantly, hope. “They want, and they hope for and dream about, the same things that we do,” Gage said. “A lot of people with Down syndrome recognize that they are different. We are busy trying to get them ready for the world.”

Photography for Life 602.677.3985 | MarionRhoadesPhotography.com Carey Peña CONTRIBUTING WRITER @CareyPenaTV On February 14, 2015, GiGi’s Phoenix opened its doors, becoming the 21 st playhouse nationwide. It provides free educational and therapeutic programs to individuals with Down syndrome from birth through adulthood, as well as to their families and community of supporters. Gage has seen a spike in support. “Every year, we grow so much,” she said. “The first year at the gala we had 100 attendees and raised a little over $35,000, and last year we had about 500 attendees and raised about half a million dollars.” It’s one thing to realize you have a voice; it’s another to decide how and why you are going to use it. To learn more, go to gigisplayhouse.org/phoenix .