For a long time, Variety Kid Jeffery (aka JJ) felt like he was missing out on a big part of childhood – riding a bike. Traditional bikes and tricycles are not accessible for JJ and his needs, so he has never owned a bike of his very own. At Bikes for Kids in November of …
Variety is thrilled to announce new partnerships with the Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of St. Charles County, Productive Living Board of St. Louis County, and The St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources to provide adaptive equipment and assistive technology to children with developmental disabilities! These public taxing entities, commonly known as “Senate Bill 40 …
Earlier this month, the Jefferson Foundation announced the recipients of their second round of grants for 2021. The Foundation awarded 79 grants to 76 organizations, totaling more than $2.6 million in funds. We are pleased to announce that Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis is the recipient of one of these generous grants! Variety …
The Jefferson Foundation Gives the Gift of Equipment Read More »
Tennyson is a big fan of the St. Louis Blues. And with his new helmet, he even looks like a super cool hockey player! This helmet is important to Tennyson’s health as he grows. He was born with torticollis, which means his head twists to one side. Because of this, he sleeps flat on his …
Meet Fiona. She is eight years old and loves to laugh, ride her bike, and listen to Taylor Swift. Looking at her now, can you believe that she was given just a one percent chance to live to be six months old? Before Fiona was even born, doctors told her parents that, if she did …
Variety Kid Christian may not speak verbally, but that doesn’t mean he can’t communicate in his own way. His communication device is his voice, and he takes it wherever he goes. This device is operated using gaze nystagmus, which means that Christian moves his eyes to activiate it and express himself. This also means that …
At 19 years old, there are many places Variety Teen DeMarko has never had the chance to visit before. He has limited mobility and uses a wheelchair to get where he needs to go, but loading up in the family van has proved a challenge that bars him from truly accessing his world. To get …
Just like many kids her age, when Variety Kid Sophia is looking to relax and wind down, she heads to her room to hang out on her bed. At night, she happily snuggles up for sweet dreams and sound sleep. But this hasn’t always been a reality for her. Until just a few months ago, …
Variety Teen Maddison and her family recently received a life-changing gift from Variety – an adaptive van. This van is making it possible for her to travel safely and comfortably, something that may seem simple, but is making a big difference. Visiting fun places like the mall or the park has long been out of …
The last time Camryn, who is 11 years old, attended in-person school was in first grade. In 2017, he was diagnosed with a neurological disorder that caused him to lose his vision as well as his ability to walk and speak independently. Since then, he has not been stable enough to go to school – …
When Variety Kid Zion cycles through his neighborhood on his daily adaptive bike ride, the air is filled with shouts of “I like your bike!” and “Cool ride!” He smiles, laughs, and rides on, proud that he is finally riding a super cool bike of his own. You see, Zion hasn’t always been able to …
When Variety Kid Wyatt started middle school this year, he had many supplies on-hand, including pencils, books, a backpack, and more. He also started the year with a new tool – an insulin pump – and, with it, a new sense of freedom. In May, Wyatt was diagnosed with diabetes. And with this diagnosis came …
Variety Teen Madi is very busy and active. She likes to do a ton of activities, many with Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis. Madi attends Teen Camp every summer, participates in our Variety Theatre program and also joins in during various social group outings, among others. So, it’s safe to say that she …
