Variety - the Children's Charity of Alberta

What Variety - the Children's Charity of Alberta does

Variety – the Children's Charity of Alberta is a registered Canadian non-profit organization headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, founded in 1982 and operating with approximately 8 employees. The organization serves children and youth with disabilities and specialized needs across Alberta (and increasingly Saskatchewan) through seven core programs: Go Baby Go (modified ride-on cars for children with mobility limitations, launched 2019, 400+ cars gifted); Health & Wellness (therapy and equipment funding via external grants portal); Inclusive Playgrounds (16 playgrounds built since 2017); Just Like You™ (a registered trademark disability-awareness curriculum delivered in schools, reaching 30,000+ students since 2018); Sensory Backpacks (500+ distributed since 2020); Type 1 Diabetes Support (Continuous Glucose Monitor grants, in partnership with Dexcom); and Volt Hockey (adaptive sport leagues in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, and Grande Prairie). The charity supports more than 15,000 children annually through these programs.

The organization's revenue model is donation-driven, encompassing one-time and monthly individual donations, event-based fundraising (including the 5th Annual Supervillain Charity Golf Tournament, The Magic of Giving, and the Volt Hockey National Tournament), and corporate sponsorships. It also derives a modest direct-revenue stream from Sensory Backpack sales at $300 per unit when sponsorship funding is unavailable. Program delivery uses an application-based intake model via the website, with Health & Wellness processed through a third-party grants platform (YourCauseGrants). The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, supplemented by digital channels (website, email newsletter, social media), impact storytelling, school-based workshops, and direct corporate outreach.

Operationally, the charity is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (9 members) chaired by Michelle Bullas, with no parent organization, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or external ownership. Geographic reach is concentrated in Alberta with selective expansion into Saskatchewan, and there is no disclosed revenue figure, no technology product beyond program-specific adaptive equipment, and no AI/ML capability evident in the source material.

Name

Variety - the Children's Charity of Alberta

Legal name

Variety – the Children's Charity of Alberta

Website

https://varietyalberta.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Variety – the Children's Charity of Alberta is a Calgary-based registered Canadian non-profit that supports children and youth with disabilities across Alberta and Saskatchewan through seven adaptive equipment, therapy, inclusive recreation, and disability-awareness programs, reaching over 15,000 children annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Disability Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

Keywords

• Adaptive equipment
• Disability programs
• Inclusive recreation
• Children's charity
• Community fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individual supporters. Donations directly fund adaptive equipment, accessible play, family support, and life-changing experiences across Alberta.
2. Event-Based Fundraising: Revenue generated from fundraising events including the Supervillain Charity Golf Tournament and The Magic of Giving. Events include registration fees, sponsorships, and post-event donations.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and partnerships with corporations looking to add charitable components to their events or build long-term community involvement aligned with their corporate values.
4. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events such as the Supervillain Charity Golf Tournament, where sponsors contribute funds in exchange for recognition and brand visibility.
5. Sensory Backpack Sales: Sensory Backpacks available for purchase at $300 each for schools and community locations when sponsorship funding is not available. Families can also purchase for personal use.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Variety Alberta is a registered Canadian charity that provides adaptive equipment, therapy funding, and inclusive programs to children and youth with disabilities and specialized needs across Alberta. Its core offerings include modified ride-on vehicles (Go Baby Go), Continuous Glucose Monitor grants for Type 1 Diabetes, sensory backpacks, inclusive playground construction, disability awareness school curriculum (Just Like You), and adaptive Volt Hockey leagues. Services are delivered at no or low cost to families and schools through community donations and event-based fundraising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Go Baby Go Program that modifies ride-on vehicles for children with mobility limitations, customizing each car to the child's specific needs with possible remote control assistance for families.
• Health & Wellness Therapy funding program that helps families access specialized occupational, physical, speech, and music therapies for children with disabilities through an external grants portal application process.
• Inclusive Playgrounds Full-service support for inclusive playground projects in Alberta, including design guidance, fundraising assistance, grant writing, and financial management for schools, municipalities, and community groups.
• Just Like You™ Registered trademark empathy-based disability awareness and diversity acceptance education program delivered directly in Alberta schools from kindergarten to grade 8 at no cost.
• Sensory Backpacks Backpacks containing curated sensory supports and calming tools designed for neurodiverse children with autism, ADHD, or sensory processing sensitivities; distributed to schools, community locations, and families.
• Type 1 Diabetes Support Program that funds Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) devices for a one-year term for families with children who have Type 1 Diabetes, paying Dexcom directly for the provided devices.
• Volt Hockey Adaptive sports program providing specially designed battery-powered hockey chairs that enable children with physical disabilities to play hockey independently, operating leagues in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, and Grande Prairie.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ children gained independent mobility through adapted vehicles
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DexcomcoreOthersDexcom is the CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) manufacturer that receives payment directly from Variety Alberta for devices provided to families through the Type 1 Diabetes Support program. Families receive Dexcom CGM funding for a one-year term through Variety's program.
• Silvertip ResortminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilvertip Resort in Canmore, Alberta serves as the venue for the 5th Annual Supervillain Charity Golf Tournament. The partnership provides event space for the organization's major annual fundraising event.
• Vivo Recreation CentreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVivo Recreation Centre in Calgary (11950 Country Village Link NE) hosts the Volt Hockey National Tournament, providing facility access for the organization's adaptive sports championship event.
• GreenBytesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGreenBytes is the website development and hosting provider for Variety Alberta's website (greenbytes.ca). Website credits appear in the site footer.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Variety - the Children's Charity (International / Variety BC): Same Variety brand operating sibling charities in other Canadian provinces (notably Variety BC) and internationally. Directly comparable mission, program model (adaptive equipment, grants, inclusive playgrounds), and donor base, making them the closest peer for benchmarking program mix and fundraising performance.
• Easter Seals Canada: National charity providing equipment, mobility aids, and camp programs for children and youth with disabilities. Directly comparable on adaptive-equipment funding, family support services, and accessible recreation programming.

Broad incumbents

• Special Olympics Canada: National adaptive sports organization providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Comparable in adaptive-sports programming and donor-event fundraising (golf tournaments, galas), but at a national scale and broader athlete base.
• Make-A-Wish Canada: Large national children's charity funding life-changing experiences for children with critical illnesses. Comparable in donor-event model (gala fundraisers, community partnerships) and child-centric mission, though focused on wish-granting rather than equipment and inclusive programming.
• Children's Miracle Network (Canada): National charity raising funds for children's hospitals across Canada. Comparable donor-base overlap and corporate-partnership-driven fundraising model, but focused on hospital care rather than community-based adaptive equipment and inclusive programming.
• Rick Hansen Foundation: Canadian charity focused on spinal cord injury and disability inclusion, funding accessibility projects and awareness education. Comparable on accessibility/inclusion mission and school-based awareness programming, though focused on spinal cord injury versus Variety Alberta's broader disability mandate.
• Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities: National children's charity helping kids participate in sport and recreation through grants to community organizations. Comparable on accessible recreation funding and inclusive sport programming, with overlapping corporate-sponsor pool.

Emerging players

• Kidsport Canada: Charity providing financial assistance to help children access organized sport. Overlaps with Variety Alberta's inclusive recreation and adaptive-sport mission (helping kids play), though focused on financial barriers rather than disability-specific equipment and programming.

Regional players

• Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation: Toronto-based children's rehabilitation hospital foundation supporting kids with disabilities through funding for equipment, therapy, and research. Comparable adaptive-equipment and therapy-funding mission, though operated through a hospital structure rather than community programs, and focused in Ontario.

Others

• Right To Play Canada: Charity using sport and play to educate and empower children facing adversity, including those with disabilities. Comparable in using sport as an inclusion tool and school-based program delivery, though with an international development focus rather than domestic adaptive equipment provision.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Variety - the Children's Charity of Alberta