The Y.O. Steakhouse is proud to announce that Variety the Children’s Charity is our official charity of choice. A recent donation of $1,500 was made to support the philanthropic organization, whose reach is international and who provides financial assistance and services to children and organizations that serve children with special needs.
The charity’s story begins on a Christmas Eve in 1928, when a baby named Catherine was found on the steps of the Sheridan Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her adoption initiated the charitable work of Variety the Children’s Charity. Variety the Children’s Charity is an outgrowth of the “Variety Club,” a social organization founded in 1927 by 11 men affiliated with the entertainment industry in Pittsburgh, PA. Today, Variety has 43 Tents (Chapters) in 13 countries. Variety has raised over US $1.7 billion for children around the world.
Variety the Children’s Charity is dedicated to promoting and protecting the health and well-being of children around the world. As their Mission Statement explains, “Through hard work, thoughtful stewardship, and single-minded focus on the needs of the young, Variety strives to make a lasting difference in the lives of children, their families, our communities, and the world…one need at a time.”
Variety hosts 5 different programs that provide various means and methods to fulfill their mission statement:
- The International Gold Heart Pin Campaign is one of Variety’s most recognized and successful global fundraising initiatives. The campaign was created in 1991 in Great Britain by Variety International Board Member, Marsha Rae Ratcliff, who thought to create gold pins in the shape of hearts to raise funds to assist children in need.
- The Variety Freedom Program provides for mobility, communication devices and independence such as wheelchairs, modified bikes, Liberty Swings and Sunshine Coaches. Children with disabilities require highly-specialized equipment to help them with their daily lives. Many require mobility assistance so they can gain some independence in their interactions with family and friends. This program provides the equipment to support such needs. Variety Tents fund basic items such hoists and positioning systems; walkers, wheelchairs (manual and power), vehicle modifications and wigs for alopecia sufferers.
- Young Variety is comprised of energized young professionals in their twenties and thirties who as a group are striving to improve the lives of underprivileged, at risk, and special needs children in local communities around the world. The aim of Young Variety is to have fun with a purpose and create magical moments for children by organizing parties, hospital visits, theatre shows, sporting events, toy drives, and outings. Through these various FUNdraiser events and volunteer opportunities, YV is directly contributing time, money and energy to a great cause and building the Variety network.
- The Variety Future Kids Program helps special needs and disadvantaged children in a number of ways. Funds are provided for equipment that can be used by more than one child, such as computers and educational equipment. The Variety Future Kids Program also offers Scholarships. Many of our Tents (chapters) provide educational scholarships to foster talent in sports, drama, music, academia and self-development for children who are sick or disadvantaged. This program also gives the families we serve access to local museums, sporting events, camps, cultural institutions and much more.
- The Variety Caring Program provides essential medical care and health equipment to care for kids at home, in the community and in hospitals. From providing an insulin pump for an individual child, to financing urgent care equipment, to supporting wings of children’s hospitals, Variety helps out where needs are essential. In most cases, especially in the case for at-home use, Variety pays for the purchase of equipment so that they are 100% sure that every dollar provided goes where it’s most needed.
