Variety - the Children's Charity of the National Capital Region
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Since Variety DC’s incorporation in 2015, the mission of the Variety DC chapter is to improve the quality of life for children living in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. that face serious mobility challenges. According to the US Census Bureau, more than 25% of children with mobility challenges in DC, Maryland and Virginia live in poverty. To date, our recipient families average three kids and have a median annual income of $48,000. As an example, parents wishing to buy their physically disabled daughter an adaptive bike would consume up to 30% of their annual discretionary income just to give her the freedom to do what her able-bodied peers take for granted. The grants committee reviews applications on an ongoing basis and looks closely for families without sufficient income to purchase the necessary equipment. Variety DC also serves physicians and therapists by building on their on-site efforts to improve the long-term physical outcomes of their patients.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Freedom Program
Freedom Program: Variety’s Freedom Program delivers vital life-changing equipment and services for mobility, independence and social inclusion to individual children and children’s organizations. Generally, requests come to Variety DC after a family’s insurance will not cover the equipment recommended by a physician or therapist.
Covering a wide scope, Freedom grants may cover:
• Adaptive bicycles and trikes
• Hoists and lifts
• Modified vehicle access
• Standing and walking assistance (gait trainers and walkers)
• Specialized car seating
Riding adaptive bikes and using the walking equipment allows children to improve their physical and emotional well-being. It strengthens their bodies through exercise and their spirits through interaction with others. The specially adapted vehicles free their families to go on more adventures together and have more experiences as a family. As we have expanded our relationships with referring therapists and doctors, we have seen an increase in demand for the bikes and vans we have subsidized.
COVID-19 Emergency Grant Program
In response to COVID-19, we pivoted to a more urgent need of providing $400 grants for basic needs to parents of children with disabilities who were laid off or furloughed. Families eligible for these grants fall rapidly into financial insecurity due to the additional medical needs of their children. In our first round, we awarded grants to 25 families, most of whom held hourly wage jobs in the service industry and haven’t worked since the spring. Several have contracted the coronavirus as well, keeping them from earning their wages.
Our process to reach these families included reaching out to our network of teachers, physical therapists, social/case workers from the following organizations who could identify and assist their clients in applying for support. Examples include:
• Children’s National Hospital
• DC Public Schools
• DC Government
• HSC Pediatric Center
• KIPP DC Academy
• Children’s Law Center
• One World Center for Autism
• Prince George’s County Public Schools
• Prince George’s County Infant and Toddlers Program
• Frederick County Infant and Toddlers Program
• Frederick County Public Schools (Rock Creek School)
Variety Compassion Funds
Variety DC created Compassion Funds at Children's National in DC and Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore to provide emergency grant support to children with disabilities and financial need. The fund is managed by the physical therapists and social workers who identify children whose families are struggling financially to provide for their children's care.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Average grant amount
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Freedom Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total dollar amount of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Freedom Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Freedom Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of children receiving adaptive bikes
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Freedom Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of children receiving support for an adaptive van
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Freedom Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Variety DC's supports and improves the mobility challenges of these kids by providing them with life changing medical mobility equipment, specially adapted vehicles and access to therapeutic extracurricular activities. Through fundraising events and our close affiliation with the movie industry, we provide custom-made adaptive bicycles and trikes, standing and walking equipment (gait trainers and walkers), specially adapted vehicles and specialized car seating.Our work helps kids gain mobility, get out and about in their neighborhoods, communicate, interact, achieve independence and increase their self-esteem.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Through the Freedom Project, Variety DC provides adaptive equipment not covered by insurance to children with mobility disabilities. There are many families in need of this equipment that require a personal connection in order to improve the lives and abilities of their children. The specially adapted vehicles free their families to go on more adventures together and have more experiences as a family. Riding the bikes and using the walking equipment allows children to improve their physical and emotional well-being. It strengthens their bodies through exercise and their spirits through interaction with others. As we have expanded our relationships with referring therapists and doctors, we have seen an increase in demand for the bikes and vans we have subsidized. Additionally, as we grow, we see opportunities to offer scholarships for therapeutic riding camps, swimming lessons, and special summer camps for children with mobility challenges when a bike or van is not the right solution for our recipient families.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Children have been referred to Variety DC by hospital administrators, pediatricians and therapists. We have developed a network of developmental specialists, as well as bicycle and van manufacturers, throughout the region. Some of these children try out the bicycles during physical therapy appointments, and their doctors and physical therapists tell us that being able to use these devices every day makes a big difference in the child’s progress. Variety DC bridges the gap between physical therapy offices and home by raising funds to serve as the critical link between the medical community, the manufacturers, and the families.
Variety DC is affiliated with Variety International, a worldwide organization that supports children in need with adaptive equipment, camps, and other therapeutic services. However, each tent has an independent budget, a separate 501(c)3 designation and its own unique board of directors. Funds are raised by each tent and are restricted to the children in the designated region.
Variety DC is affiliated with the entertainment industry and receives support from movie theatre owners, concession providers, studios, etc. The office is housed with the National Association of Theatre Owners where the President and CEO, John Fithian, serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Variety DC raises awareness of the needs of children with mobility impairments and seeks to raise funds annually through our fundraising events (advance movie screenings and golf tournaments), and through corporate and individual giving. With its close affiliation with the theatre industry, funds have been raised primarily through events with donated films and theatre space. All ticket proceeds go to Variety DC to purchase adaptive equipment.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In FY2019, we were delighted to provide:
• eight adaptive tricycles
• adaptation of one family van with a chairlift
• one electrical stimulation unit
• one specialized carrier for a special-needs child
• partial support for a therapeutic riding lift for a special-needs camp in Staunton, VA
• scholarships for children to attend a therapeutic riding camp in Loudoun, VA
• adaptive shoes, inserts and a cube chair
In addition to our primary mission of providing grants for mobility equipment and therapy services, we developed what we call The Popcorn Project to expand the benefits of our charity advance screenings. Individuals and businesses who can’t attend donate seats to share with local children and families affiliated with other non-profits. With generous support from these donors, movie studios and theatres, we held seven advance screenings in2019 and donated over 150 seats to children from area charities:
• Maryland Special Olympics Gold Medal Cheerleading team (JOY Supernova)
• Survivors of domestic violence from Empowerhouse in Fredericksburg, VA
• Children and mentors from the Greater Fredericksburg Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Alexandria-Dunbar Boys and Girls club, VA
• People Places (foster care), Staunton, VA
• Valley Mission (shelter), Staunton, VA
• Boys and Girls Club in Staunton, VA
• YMCA, Staunton, VA
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Variety - the Children's Charity of the National Capital Region
Board of directorsas of 03/19/2024
Ms. Kathy Conroy
Joseph Edwards
Alamo Drafthouse
Jerry Van de Rydt
Moving Image Technologies
Sharon Kerr
Thomas Pianta
Inova Loudoun Hospital
Maria Gagani
Anthony Rakis
CBRE
Katelin Reilly
Jeff Scudillo
PIM Brands
Adam Gottlieb
The Sultana Distribution Services
Belinda Judson
Paul Marcot
GDC-Technology
Anthony Kelly
Harkness Screens
Board leadership practices
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Not applicable
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Leadership
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Disability
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