VARIETY TASMANIA
Mohammad Aldergham - Variety CEO
Kids, all kids, are at the heart of what Variety Tasmania does. Every day, we look for ways and means to empower our deserving kids, regardless of their ability, condition, or background. Despite all the challenges facing many in the business and wider community, including Variety’s
We receive no government funding, so we rely on fundraising events and the generosity of our community, to continue delivering on our mission. Although, we managed to squeeze in the Variety of Gins in 2020, we had to cancel all other signature events last year. But Tasmanians’ resilient characters who showed their support to our cause in many ways, including donating experiences and accommodation vouchers for raffles and auctions, which is immensely humbling! Amid the pandemic, the THA took the initiative to sign Variety Tasmania as the industry’s charity partner, pledging $20k in annual donations and to support our activities and community engagement initiatives. A testament to the grassroots characters of the Tasmanian hospitality industry. Already this year, the THA showed their unwavering support by attending the Variety of Gins in the beautiful Botanical Gardens and the inaugural twin event at the Country Club in Launceston. On the 19th June, we are hosting the second Variety of Chefs ball at Wrest Point. This event is a celebration of Tasmania’s produce, beverages and culinary talent. To find out more about this signature event visit https://www.variety.org. au/tas/event/variety-of-chefs-2021/. We will also be very grateful if you would consider an in-kind voucher towards the auction or raffle. If youknowofachild, inyour town,who issick,disadvantaged, or is living with disability who need support but cannot get this help through the NDIS or other organisations, please share this website (https://www.variety.org.au/tas/grants/ individual-grants/) with them and encourage them to reach out to us. We are here to support those kids and their families. COVID or otherwise, our determination to reach more deserving kids across the state remains unchallenged, so look forward to share with you some of the initiatives we are currently working on in future editions.
work and revenue, because of COVID, we stayed focused on our core mission of giving those children a Fair-Go in life. Here is a summery of what we have been working on: In November, in collaboration with ZooDoo, we launched a newVarietyKids ExperiencecalledVarietyDay@TheZoo. So far, this partnership sawmore than 60 kids who either come from disadvantaged backgrounds or living with disability, spend a day at the zoo in an inclusive and accessible environment. This experience is now a stable alongside the Variety Quiet Santa for kids with sensory needs. In December, we signed an agreement with Tassie Mums Inc. aimed at increasing the reach of their “Care Bundles” to an additional 200 kids around the state in 2021. Those kids are (or at risk of being) homeless, escaping domestic violence, or come from financially disadvantaged families. In February, we were involved in supporting “Let’s Go Surfing” event at Clifton Beach. This is the inaugural event in Tasmanian, organised by Disabled Surfers Association Australia. That day, 30 kids joined in for the fun, and some were able to enjoy the beach for the first time in their living memory. In addition, we continue to grant individual children like Sebastian (9yo) and his sister Ella (11yo). Ella and Sebastian live with autism among other conditions, and they need constant access to therapy which became an issue during COVID lockdown and what followed of the very high demand of occupational therapy services. Through Variety’s support, the family has bought a new laptop, printer, and a laminator, which will enable the children to attend telehealth appointments, print online resources, and use the laminator to ensure those resources are durable.
THA HOSPITALITY—REVIEW: APRIL 2021 | 38
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