Visit variety.org.au or call 02 9819 1001
About Us
Variety, the Children’s Charity is dedicated to empowering Australian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs to live, laugh and learn. Variety - the Children’s Charity is a national not-for-profit organisation committed to empowering Australian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs to live, laugh and learn. By giving practical equipment, programs and experiences, Variety helps children in need to overcome whatever obstacles they face and live life to the fullest – simply put, we help kids be kids. Variety’s mission is to help these children attain their full potential regardless of ability or background. Variety’s work allows children to gain mobility and freedom, to get out and about in the community, be able to communicate, achieve independence and increase self-esteem, and where possible the assistance to help them be integrated into mainstream school and activities.
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Variety provides grants to individuals and organisations for a great number of items such as special wheelchairs, vocal output speech devices, prosthetic limbs, special play equipment, Liberty Swings, Sunshine Coaches and much more. Variety raises funds from a number of sources, including individual donors, corporate partnerships, and events - and to date we have delivered more than $200 million to help Australia’s sick, disadvantaged and special needs children. Variety employs 52 full time staff around the country who are supported by over 5,000 volunteers and committees running various events, functions, outings with children, investigation of appeals applications and more. Today, Variety Australia delivers around $1 million in individual and organisational equipment grants every month, filling the gaps often left by governments and other organisations. Variety is often an appellant’s last resort to secure equipment vital to their children’s well-being.
Initially the group would get together after performances to play cards at a social gathering they called the “Variety Club”. One night in 1928 they heard whimpering from the empty Sheriden Theatre and when they investigated the source of the noise, they discovered an abandoned baby. The baby’s mother had pinned a note to the child’s clothing which read: “Please take care of my baby. Her name is Catherine. I can no longer take care of her. I have eight others. My husband is out of work. She was born on Thanksgiving Day. I have always heard of the goodness of showbusiness people and pray to God that you will look after her. Signed, a heartbroken mother.”
History
Variety is described as “The Heart of Show Business” because it was started by a group of theatre owners and showmen in Pittsburgh, USA.
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Variety Australia is dedicated to empowering children who are sick, disadvantaged or who have special needs to live, laugh and learn. With the help of dedicated volunteers and generous individual and corporate supporters, Variety Australia is able to offer three core programs: freedom, care and future.
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Vision & Mission
Future Kids Program:
Freedom Program:
Care For Kids Program:
The gift of Education and Achievement – helping kids with disabilities or disadvantage fulfil their academic, sports or arts potential by supporting schools with special equipment, tuition and other practical support.
The gift of Independence and Self Esteem - assisting with mobility and communication through liberty swings, wheelchairs, sunshine coaches, vehicle modifications, communication aids, walk & stand equipment.
The gift of Support – to children’s intensive care units, children’s emergency transport services and children’s remote diagnosis and treatment services.
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HOW YOUR DONATION
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$20
$100
$20 can help a child with special needs to learn with assistive software to positively transform not only their academic performance but also their classroom experience.
$100 can enable a child to breathe easier with a nebuliser. Variety caring for Kids Program helps provide a wide range of equipment ranging from incubators to monitors.
$500
$500 can help bring independence to a disabled child by contributing towards a specialised wheelchair.
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Sponsorship Sponsoring Variety – the Children’s Charity can work in many different ways and will bring a positive image to your company by addressing specific objectives. It can help reach a target audience, increase brand awareness, motivate staff or show commitment to the local community. Sponsorship opportunities range from high profile events and corporate functions through to advertising campaigns and fundraising materials.
Workplace Giving
Gift In Kind
Workplace or payroll giving is the most tax effective, simple yet powerful way for employees to assist Variety in delivering services sick, special needs or disadvantaged Australian children through dollars received via regular payroll donations.
In-kind support for the Variety – the Children’s Charity enables companies to contribute to our objectives in a way that is entirely relevant to their business. It provides Variety with the invaluable technology, equipment and fundraising prizes that are necessary to run our services for children.
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Volunteer Volunteering is at the heart of Variety – we rely on the abilities, the generosity and the goodwill of people who devote their time and energies to helping children in the Australian community.
Volunteering at Variety offers a diverse range of roles including events, fundraising, working with kids and administration work and your talents, skills and passions can certainly be utilised.
Perhaps you can help prepare for one of our functions? Maybe you can spare a couple of hours a week for administration? Perhaps you would like to help out at one of our children’s events?
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Contact Us Variety Victoria H71, 63-85 Turner Street Port Melbourne VIC 3207
Mailing Address: PO Box 1076 South Melbourne VIC 3205 Ph: 03 8698 3900 Fax: 03 8698 3933 Email: info@varietyvic.org.au
Variety Australia 47 Herbert St Artarmon NSW 2064 Mailing Address: Locked Bag 2468, St Leonards NSW 2065 Ph: 02 9819 1001 Fax: 02 9437 3588 ABN: 55 891 232 898 Email: info@varietyaustralia.org.au
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Variety-the Children’s Charity is a national not-for-profit organisation committed to empowering Australian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs to live, laugh & learn. By giving practical equipment, programs & experiences, Variety helps children in need to overcome whatever obstacles they face & live life to the fullest.
variety.org.au