The first chapter was founded in 1927 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when eleven men formed a civic and social club. Because they were all in the entertainment industry they called themselves "The Variety Club." On Christmas Eve the following year a baby girl was abandoned in the Sheridan Theatre (owned by one of the Variety Club members). Next to her was a package, containing five clean diapers. The note pinned to the package read,

"Please take care of my baby. Her name is Catherine. I can no longer take care of her - I have eight others. My husband is out of work. She was born on Thanksgiving Day. I have always heard of the goodness of show business people and I pray you will take care of her."
The note was signed
"A heartbroken mother"

The men of Variety "adopted" the child and named her Catherine Variety Sheridan. Though they found adoptive parents for the baby, these men provided for her physical, financial, and emotional needs throughout her life . . . and found a purpose for their organization. Since that time, Variety Clubs throughout the world have dedicated themselves to helping children. Today there are more than 50 chapters in 13 countries, including the United States, Canada, Israel, France, Australia, Mexico, Barbados and the Channel Islands. The organization's members continue to raise millions of dollars annually and support thousands of hospitals, homes, schools, camps, institutions and children's service organizations.

Variety is unique in that, not only do we fund our own special projects such as Variety Limb Bank Program & Fund, Variety Neonatal Rehabilitation Fund, The Brad & Lindsey Lidge Variety Compassion Fund, Fred Astaire Mobility Program, Ford Motor Company/Variety Sunshine Coach Program & Fund, Variety At Work Program & Fund locally, but we also contribute to other agencies which provide for the needs of an individual child or group of children.