Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis

Individual Children

Kids on the Go

Molly, 5, was born three months premature. She has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, osteomyelitis and cerebral palsy. Variety recently provided Molly, a happy, social child, with a manual wheelchair that she is able to propel herself. She was very excited to use this chair when she started kindergarten in the fall of 2008!

Molly is just one of 1,350 individual children and their families Variety assists with durable medical equipment to empower them to be physically independent. This equipment ranges from wheelchairs to augmentative speech devices, leg braces to hearing aids, prostheses to van lifts. Variety steps in each time a child needs assistance, from infancy to the age of 21. We help children say "I CAN!" by giving them the adaptive legs, voice or ears they need.

Click play above to view the Jamie Lee Curtis Public Service Announcement
for U.S. Variety's mobility program.

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Guidelines
Variety the Children's Charity serves children with physical and mental disabilities from infancy to the age of 21 in the Greater St. Louis region.

Variety is not able to help with evaluations, doctor fees, hospital fees, eyeglasses, TES Units, hand controls for automobiles, diapers, food (for tube feedings), respirators or modifications to the home (inside or outside, i.e. lifts, ramps).

Procedure for assistance
Upon request, an application form is filled out by the parent or guardian of the disabled child. The application includes information on the child and the family. A copy of the most recent federal income tax return (1040) must be submitted with the application. Each application is reviewed on an individual basis.

All families earning less than $65,000 are automatically eligible for assistance. If a family's income is more than $65,000, the family is asked to write a letter, and the following variables will be considered:
• Whether one or both parents are employed
• Single parent household
• Number of children in the family
• Ages of the children
• Other financial obligations (i.e. college tuition, care of aging parents, etc.)
• Severity of the child's diagnosis
• Type of required equipment (durability, longevity, replacement costs, etc.)

For each piece of equipment Variety purchases, a prescription, letter of necessity and estimate of cost are required. The request is submitted to the insurance company, and Variety then pays what is denied by insurance. If the total amount is denied, Variety will pay the entire amount.

Variety will pay for equipment for a child on Medicaid (i.e. bathchairs, car seats and wheelchair trays) if Medicaid denies the request. If the child has no insurance or no DME clause in his or her insurance policy, Variety will pay in full.

Any equipment Variety purchases will be maintained and repaired by Variety if the family is unable to pay.

Variety will use its equipment pool whenever possible, arranging for pick-up of donated equipment from Variety families and storing the equipment free of charge. Before giving the equipment to another child, United Seating & Mobility will make sure each piece of equipment is in perfect working condition. Variety will only accept medical equipment in excellent/good condition less than four years old.

How we learn about children with disabilities
Parents • Events • Word of mouth • Networking • Doctors • Therapists • Hospitals • Ranken Jordan • Variety Partner Agencies • Regional Center (State funded agency) • First Steps (Federal & State funded, ages 0-3 years)

Equipment
• Wheelchairs - Manual & power; Adaptations; Modifications; Repairs; Special cushions; Standing feature for Permobiles
• Augmentative Speech Devices
• Back and other bracing
• Bath chairs
• Bath lifts
• Car seats
• Ear molds
• Helmets
• Hearing aids
• Hospital beds
• Hoyer Lifts
• Lifts for vans (Full-sized or raised-roof minivan; 3 years old or newer)
• Leg braces
• Ramps for vans
• Prostheses
• Scalimobile
• Shower chairs
• Special needs stroller
• Standers
• Suitcase & trifold portable ramps
• Therapeutic trikes
• Treadmills
• Van Ramps
• Walkers

Final decision will be determined by the Director of Health Services and the Allocations Committee.

For more information, please contact:
Diane Gruszka
Director of Health Services
2200 Westport Plaza Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146
(314) 453-0453, ext. 112 (toll-free 1-888-421-1212)
fax (314) 453-0488
diane@varietystl.org

Variety - The Children's Charity of St. Louis

Individual Children

Kids on the Go

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Charity Navigator has awarded Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis three out of a possible four stars!