Feel the Variety Kc Mission

Nov 13, 2021 | #inclusionrevolution, Announcements

At Variety KC, we know that kids with special needs have no seasonal needs. The population we serve didn’t need less during the pandemic, and in fact they needed more! As a result, last year or so was an extra busy one for Variety and our #inclusionrevolution. Here are a few of the highlights:

  • We launched the KC Inclusion Revolution, an initiative to help businesses understand the importance of including all kids in our community. If you would like a Variety representative to come talk to your business or help you to launch inclusive efforts, just contact us at VarietyKC@gmail.com. Let’s build a stronger community by involving the entire community!

  • WyCo: Plans are in place for Legends Stadium and their drive to offer a more inclusive experience including a Variety KC all inclusive playground, sensory kits, accessible parking signs and more. The plans are attached!

  • Northland: Another nationwide first! Variety KC is partnering with Sporting KC at the new northland sports complex to create the first Power Soccer Field Outdoors AND Variety KC inclusive playground in the same complex. Power Soccer is traditionally played in power wheelchairs and always indoors on a gym floor or basketball court. What Variety KC is building is an outdoor field – one less “difference” between traditional and adaptive play. That’s true inclusion. The complex is amazing, check it out at www.VARIETYKC.org/project/powersoccer

  • Variety KC Sensory Kits are gaining ground. This year we added Wonderscope Children’s Museum (where we built an inclusive treehouse), Children’s Mercy Hospital, Starlight Theatre, B&B Theatres nationwide, and – we outfitted 300 area police patrol cars with sensory kits to help them to better serve our communities.

  • What better way to introduce travelers to our inclusive city than through the Variety KC Inclusive Play Zone at the New KCI International Airport.  (Opening Spring 2023) This area allows kids to decompress before getting on a flight, and after arriving at KCI. Parents today are far more likely to travel with kids, making it a comfortable experience for everyone will result in a better flight for all. After all, doesn’t every child deserve to travel and explore?

Variety KC partnered with Starlight Theatre to make sure they were equipped with inclusive tools to reopen and include all people of all abilities in the arts! https://youtu.be/nizBa4RZwKY

  • One of the most impactful ways to reach a large audience and introduce our  “hidden population” is through film. The New Variety KC Documentary will do just that!

  • We hit this one out of the park! As Variety started to build inclusive play areas, we installed communication boards to help all kids communicate with each other, their caregivers, and friends-in-the-making. We discovered that Sign Language Boards engaged even more kids and encouraged them to “talk” with one another. To date we have 20 KCMO Parks equipped with these boards – come try them out!

This year we were honored to be recognized by the following:

  • Nonprofit Connect honored our marketing and branding efforts with a Silver Philly Award.

  • International Variety honored Randi Mahomes with the coveted International Variety Presidential Award.

  • And we are proud to announce we once again achieved the Top-Rated Non-profit Award.

  • The NWSL (the new women’s soccer league in KC) selected Variety KC as the first recipient of their community giving campaign.

And this is just the start!

Follow us on social media to see the KC Inclusion Revolution at work and read our blogs at www.varietykc.org for a closer look at individual children we impact through generous donors and volunteers. And contact us to join the #kcinclusionrevolution – because of people like you, our community is rapidly becoming known as the most inclusive community in the country.

Variety International Presidential Award Winner- Heather Hall

Nov 2, 2020 | Announcements, Inclusion

2020 Variety International Presidential Citation Nomination
Kansas City Councilwoman Heather Hall gets it done! She’s the perfect combination of navigating the way local government works and having great passion for the mission of Variety KC.
Her efforts for both the city and Variety go largely unrecognized, but she’s making things happen behind the scenes and her determination to help is tremendous. Most recently, the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. This culminated with a celebration parade of nearly a million people in the downtown area. With so much going on, Heather Hall thought of the Variety Kids!  Would kids with special needs, and their families, have a place to access the parade and be included in the festivities? Through Heather’s help, a dedicated area was set up right in the heart of the action!As a champion for Variety KC, Heather has driven the push to put custom Variety parking signs in all municipal venues and parking areas. She brought Variety to the public’s attention by introducing an official City Resolution for Variety KC and by pushing for Variety partnerships with local park projects and community projects such as the first ever nationwide inclusive zoo exhibit! And now she is the champion to create our new international airport, the most inclusive in the world.One of the most heartwarming elements of Heather’s support is her physical presence and engagement with Variety KC Kids. If we have an opening or launch, she’s there to publicly support it. If we need interviews or MC type presentations – she steps in. And, whenever Variety Kids are gathered to have fun and celebrate inclusion, Heather is there – engaging and encouraging kids in a one-on-one manner.It’s said it is not what you know, but who you know. Variety KC is blessed to know a secret weapon (and mother herself) named Heather Hall! She’s our unsung hero and we hope to soon be signing her praises with the prestigious Presidential Citation!

2020 Hy-Vee Golf Tournament Canceled

2020 Hy-Vee Golf Tournament Canceled

Jul 20, 2020 | Announcements, Communication

Hy-Vee Golf Tournament at Shoal Creek Golf Course is Canceled due to COVID-19 Safety Precautions

We are sorry to announce the Hy-Vee Golf Scramble for Variety KC will not take place next month.

Variety applauds Hy-Vee for making the health of our golfers and volunteers the most important factor in this decision! You truly are community leaders.

We are grateful for some of the generous participants who were able to donate their sponsorships and auction items even upon hearing the event was canceled. You were in it for the right reasons – playing for the kids!

COVID-19 has impacted so many people and organizations. We lost our biggest fundraiser (The Variety Show) in April. This golf tournament is our second largest fundraiser. Once again, we find ourselves asking our individual donors and partners for help. Our list of children needing help has grown during this challenging time, while our potential for funding has fallen.

If you are financially able to help us achieve our mission to help KC Kids, it would be so appreciated. Donations can be made HERE.

We leave you with this quote from Bobby Jones – “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots, you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.”

That’s exactly what we will do – continue to do whatever we can to make sure all area kids have the chance to Be Active, Be Social, Be Safe, and Belong.

Stay well and be safe!