Variety of Philadelphia

Mary Pat Radabaugh, Director of the IBM National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities once said, “For Americans without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For Americans with disabilities, technology makes things possible.”

“Direct Care for Kids,” is one of the many programs Variety of Philadelphia offers to children and youth living with physical and developmental disabilities to make things possible. Grants under these programs assists families obtain crucial medical equipment, devices and therapies that are not covered by insurance.

A generous grant from the Comcast Foundation enabled Variety of Philadelphia to partner with the Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities to grant tablet computers with a specialized application to children with special needs from low income families.

The tablets and application will help children improve their speech, sociability, sensory/cognitive awareness and overall behavior.

Variety partnered with Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities throughout the entire process, from creating the application to selecting the 20 individuals that best met grant-specific criteria and hosting the presentation. At the presentation each recipient was given their iPad, accessories and a $50 iTunes gift card. Representatives from Comcast and Variety interacted with the families prior to an iPad and application training session.

Variety Philadelphia is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, the Comcast Foundation, as well as the iPad recipients and their families, in order to continue making things possible for the children and families we serve.