Children’s Charity, also known as Variety is a nationwide non-for-profit organisation dedicated to the empowerment of Australian children that are disadvantaged, sick or are having special needs to learn, laugh and live. Through granting practical programs, experiences and equipment, Variety is assisting kids in need in overcoming whatever obstacles they could be facing and live their lives to the maximum – put simply, they assist kids be kids.
The Vision:
A situation in which all children in Australia attain their maximum potential irrespective of background or ability.
The Mission:
To enable all children in Australia who have special needs, are sick, or disadvantaged to laugh, learn and live, laugh.
The Aim:
To double the quantity of grants given to offer joy, hope, and a future that is better to thousands more of children in NSW who have special needs, are sick or are disadvantaged.
History
Variety Children’s Charity has been described as being “The Heart of Show Business” as it was initiated by a grouping of theatre showmen and owners in Pittsburgh, US. Originally the group would come together following performances to socialize and enjoy a card game, what they termed as the "Variety Club". On a 1928, they heard some whimpering from the now empty Sheriden Theatre, upon investigation revealing an abandoned baby.
Though a search by the police failed to locate the mother, but the group already had been moved. They took in the small infant and called her Catherine Variety Sheridan. From there, they set on raising money for her immediate needs and care and they became so successful that they opted to broaden their view towards offering assistance to some local orphanages in their neigbourhood. Their philosophy became that they would not be giving money – just services and only goods. This is an ideal that remains core to the ethos of Variety Children’s Charity even today. Today Variety has spread across the entertainment industry and now there are some 80 branches globally.
The story of Catherine became an inspiration for helping kids everywhere and from those early beginnings, Variety Children’s Charity has grown into an global organisation, running in 14 countries and having raised over $2 billion towards helping kids in need all over the world.
In 1975 Lord Louis Mountbatten brought Variety into Australia and today it’s got representation in all Australian states and territories, being able to reach tens of thousands of unique children yearly.
The Programs
The mission is towards helping these kids achieve their maximum potential irrespective of background or ability. The work of Variety allows children to gain freedom and mobility, to get out and move about in their community, to communicate, attain independence and enhance self-esteem, and wherever possible assist them to get integrated into mainstream activities and school.
Variety is able to provide 3 core programs:
- Variety Future Kids Program: This works on the gift of education & achievement – assisting children having disadvantage or disabilities fulfill their sports, arts or academic, potential through supporting their schools with tuition, special equipment and other practical kind of support.
- Variety Freedom Program: Gift of independence & promoting self-esteem by helping with communication and mobility through wheelchairs, vehicle modifications, liberty swings, Sunshine coaches, communication aids walk and stand equipment.
- Variety Care for Kids Program: Support – to kid’s emergency transport services intensive care units and remote diagnosis as well as treatment services.
How you Assist
Whenever you donate your time or money, you desire to ensure that the persons needing it most are indeed receiving it.
All of the funds raised are spent on the core programs. Currently, Variety Children’s Charity, NSW has 3 core programs: Future Kids, Freedom and caring for Kids and it’s via these initiatives that they’re delivering a unique variety of services and goods towards supporting the particular requirements of individual children, throughout a diverse range of emotional, physical, and financial needs.
The organization offers grants to individuals and even to other organisations for a huge number of items like special wheelchairs, modifications of wheelchair vehicle, communication devices, Liberty Swings, special play equipment, Sunshine Coaches and many more.
All grants and purchases for services and equipment are made directly to ensure that each dollar gets to that place where it is required most.
Sponsors and Partners
Without the partners and sponsors, it wouldn’t be possible to deliver such a broad variety of services and programs to so many special children.
Sponsorship of events, networks engagement and financial and staff support are several of the ways through which sponsors and partners assist Variety NSW to continue doing the great work.
Getting Involved
Yearly, Variety Children’s Charity, NSW Australia is touching the lives of in excess of 105,000 kids in need, aiding them to laugh, live and dream.
The members, donors, sponsors and volunteers are making these take place. Without your generosity and support none would be feasible.
It really doesn’t take too much to make that huge difference. Some of the ways include:
- Volunteering
- Fundraising
- Corporate Giving
- Sponsoring an Event
- Becoming a Member
