The Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation of Variety Club of Buffalo provides grants to Oishei Children’s Hospital of Buffalo and dozens of local children’s charities that support children who are sick, disabled and disadvantaged throughout WNY. The funds are to be used for programs and equipment, not administrative costs. Grant requests are approved by the Heart Committee, and applications must include a 501 (c) 3 and the agency’s latest audit. The deadline for requests is July 1 and funding is disbursed at the end of October. To apply for a grant or for more information, contact us.
Variety WNY has several on-going programs to benefit children in WNY:
Variety at Work – This program is an integral aspect of Variety whose activities include a night at a Bison’s game, a Christmas party, and other activities for hundreds of children.
Variety Youth Hockey – Variety has partnered with Delta Sonic and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo for 12 years to sponsor the Variety Youth Hockey program at the Nichols School ice rink. Volunteer coaches provide structured training and drills to around 35 children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to play. These children range in age from 8 to 15 and include all skill levels in both recreational and competitive hockey. The 22-week program runs from October to March and teaches concepts such as team work, responsibility, and perseverance, in addition to skating and hockey skills.
Variety Camping Program – Variety sponsors 50 “camperships” each summer and sends children ages 8-16 to Cradle Beach Summer Camp in Angola, NY. The program gets children from low-income families and children with physical and behavioral needs outdoors for a week and provides them an opportunity that they would never have without Variety.
Variety Mobility Program – Variety purchases adaptive bikes for children’s agencies to provide to children with special needs. While the bikes provide much-needed physical therapy for these children, they also allow the children the positive mental boost of riding a bike like their friends. Some of these children are able to experience riding a bike for the very first time thanks to Variety.
