Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety The Children's Charity is a public charity based in Birmingham, Michigan. Formed in 1932, it provides support and essential services to children with special needs in its community and also describes programs serving children in need.
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity at a glance
In short: Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity gave $450K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), mostly in Michigan. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $450,358
- -2.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $30,024
- -2.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $6,675,089
- -0.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity
- Contact
Mailing address: 600 S Adams Suite 310, Birmingham, MI 48009
Phone: (248) 258-5511
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Alliance of Coalitions for Heal ($98K). Together the top 10 received $394K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 71 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 6% to recipients in New York. The itemized grants included recipients in both states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 15 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $31K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $139K (2020) to $461K (2024). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $450K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Alliance of Coalitions for Heal Troy, MI | To Benefit Children | $98,108 |
| Beaumont Foundation Royal Oak, MI | To Benefit Children | $75,000 |
| Far Therapeutic Arts and Recreation Birmingham, MI | To Benefit Children | $42,100 |
| Youth Tank Detroit Detroit, MI | To Benefit Children | $40,000 |
| Delivering Good Inc New York, NY | To Benefit Children | $25,000 |
| Gleaners Community Food Bank Detroit, MI | To Benefit Children | $25,000 |
| New Hope Center for Grief Support Northville, MI | To Benefit Children | $25,000 |
| Vision Hope Community Development St Clair Shores, MI | To Benefit Children | $25,000 |
| The Agape Project Troy, MI | To Benefit Children | $24,000 |
| Building Beds 4 Kids Oak Park, MI | To Benefit Children | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,675,089 | $1,859,733 | $1,941,268 | $450,358 | 15 | $319,842 |
| 2024 | $6,731,501 | $1,560,196 | $1,186,843 | $460,758 | 15 | $373,324 |
| 2023 | $5,863,591 | $4,503,006 | $4,708,775 | $398,782 | 16 | $-87,178 |
| 2022 | $5,522,569 | $1,893,304 | $1,679,902 | $246,812 | 13 | $91,107 |
| 2021 | $6,040,903 | $2,719,427 | $2,185,587 | $282,090 | 12 | $229,016 |
| 2020 | $5,199,801 | $2,882,872 | $2,627,514 | $138,500 | 6 | $51,202 |
| 2019 | $4,853,593 | $2,791,316 | $2,320,558 | $161,400 | 7 | $123,197 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states its mission as “providing vital support and essential services to children with special needs in our community.” Its 2023 filing describes Variety Kids as providing coats, clothing, shoes, books, toys, and school supplies to children in need; the Variety Myoelectric Center as providing myoelectric prostheses to children in need; and Variety Community Outreach as providing grants for programs that assist children and families with special needs. It also lists Bikes for Kids, Feeds Kids, Holiday Adopt-a-Child, and 4-H Riding.
Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. The Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities describes its mission as empowering healthy communities through prevention, wellness, and recovery support. FAR Conservatory of Therapeutic and Performing Arts says it enriches the lives of people with disabilities through creative arts and recreational therapies. YouthTank says it equips Detroit youth with paid, hands-on experiences in STEM, entrepreneurship, and city-building. Other grantees describe work that includes providing essential items to people facing hardship, grief support, beds for qualifying families, mental health counseling, and services for children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 15 grants totaling $450,358. Grant amounts ranged from $8,000 to $98,108, with a median grant of $25,000. All itemized grants list their purpose as “to benefit children.”
Notable grants included $98,108 to the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities, $75,000 to Beaumont Foundation, $42,100 to FAR Therapeutic Arts and Recreation, and $40,000 to Youth Tank Detroit. Other grants included $25,000 each to Delivering Good, Gleaners Community Food Bank, New Hope Center for Grief Support, and Vision Hope Community Development; $24,000 to The Agape Project; $15,000 each to Building Beds 4 Kids and Thaar Care Foundation; and $13,400 to Penrickton Center for Blind Children.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rhonda Sabatini as president, Kimberly Ann Smith as vice president, Patricia Whitney as treasurer, and Ruthie Seltzer as secretary. It also lists Laurie Fischgrund as sergeant at and Jill Barry, Ryan Barto, Elizabeth Cutraro, Connie Hudas, and Mallory Johnson as directors.
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity is led by Rhonda Sabatini, President since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 26 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rhonda Sabatini
President
Director → Vice President, 2020
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
7.7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aubrey Tobin
Director
Director → Sergeant at, 2021
Sergeant at → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dante Rosa
Director
On filings since 2019
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Kovan
Director
On filings since 2019
3.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Morgan Kaufman
Director
On filings since 2019
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Mersereau
Director
On filings since 2019
5.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Solange Messelian
Director
On filings since 2019
1.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosalie Vicari
Director
On filings since 2020
1.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Don Manvel
Director
On filings since 2021
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Volas
Director
On filings since 2021
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Justin Near
Director
On filings since 2021
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mallory Johnson
Director
On filings since 2021
1.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Cutraro
Director
On filings since 2022
1.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Glenda Lewis
Director
On filings since 2022
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony Long
Director
On filings since 2024
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Connie Hudas
Director
On filings since 2024
1.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jill Barry
Director
On filings since 2024
1.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Schlesinger-Wagner
Director
On filings since 2024
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mallory Shaevsky
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marni Scott
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Ryan Barto
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Michelle Murphy
Executive Di
On filings since 2019
53.8 hrs/week
$116K (2019) → $132K (2025)
Kimberly Ann Smith
Vice President
Sergeant at → Vice President, 2020
On filings since 2019
1.9 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Fischgrund
Sergeant at
Director → Sergeant at, 2025
On filings since 2019
1.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ruthie Seltzer
Secretary
On filings since 2019
5.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Whitney
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Larry Shaevsky (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Linda Fischgrund (2024) — Sergeant at
- Former: David King (2019–2023) — President
- Former: Jon Golstein (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Len Dillon (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Richard Imperato (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Jessie Beld Elliot (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Alan Barry (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Lenise McWhorter (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Henry Baskin (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Judith Harrison Solomon (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Kathy Brook-Ballard (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Michael Bressler (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Michael Coyne (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Mallory Richard (2020) — Director
- Former: Deborah Wellman (2019) — Director
- Former: Douglas Meijer (2019) — Director
- Former: Jeffrey King (2019) — Ex-Officio O
- Former: Lois Shaevsky (2019) — President
- Former: Patty Whitney (2019) — Director
- Former: Paul Glantz (2019) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $132K, to Michelle Murphy (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity
How much does Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity give each year?
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity gave $450K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $461K across 15 grants.
What is Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's typical grant size?
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $30,024, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity that year got $13K on average.
Where does Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity give grants?
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity gives mostly in Michigan: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Troy, MI (2 grants) and Detroit, MI (2 grants).
Does Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Benefit Children" (15 grants).
Who are Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's largest grantees?
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's largest 2025 grantees include The Alliance of Coalitions for Heal ($98,108), Beaumont Foundation ($75,000) and Far Therapeutic Arts and Recreation ($42,100), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity?
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity reported $6.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.
What does Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity fund?
The organization states its mission as “providing vital support and essential services to children with special needs in our community.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity?
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's EIN?
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-2140520. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 28, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 5, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/variety-club-charity-for-children-dba-variety-the-children-s-charity-morg_8740867e6528418fb238a3607184e5f1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_382140520_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/variety-club-charity-for-children-dba-variety-the-children-s-charity-morg_8740867e6528418fb238a3607184e5f1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Variety Club Charity for Children DBA Variety the Children's Charity down — hundreds of funders to go?