Nonprofit focused on helping children succeed visits 6abc with pop-up shop
As Action News employees shopped, they also helped the Variety students practice the work skills they've been learning.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- As we continue to celebrate Disability Pride Month, 6abc got a special visit from one of the oldest children's charities in the greater Philadelphia region on Thursday.
Their work brought them to the Action News studios in Philadelphia for a special pop-up shop that began in the organization's 77-acre campus in Montgomery County.
That campus is the home of a seven-week summer camp hosted by Variety - The Children's Charity of the Delaware Valley, more commonly known as Variety.
The nonprofit focuses on social, educational, and vocational programs for kids and young adults with disabilities.
"We serve children and young adults ages 5 through 24," said Dominique Bernardo, CEO of Variety.
The participants get job training and help developing life skills on Variety's campus in Worcester, Pennsylvania.
The organization is in the process of raising funds for the campus in order to continue providing a range of programs for people with all types of disabilities.
Isaac Johnson participated in those programs from the time he was a teenager.
"They listen to you, they feel what you're talking about and they want to help you," said Johnson, who is now an ambassador for Variety.
Students grow vegetables in their own greenhouse and make their own honey. They also make herbs, dog treats, seasonings, soap, and baked goods.
The students boxed up all of those items and brought them to the lobby of 6abc to set up a pop-up shop. As Action News employees shopped, they also helped the Variety students practice the work skills they've been learning.
Variety does six pop-up shops in the summer. They also look for partnerships with businesses where students can do job shadowing and other types of career preparation.
"By the time they get to graduate, they can figure out what they like to do and they've got skills that they can put on a resume," said Bernardo.
That's exactly what Johnson did.
"When I graduated, they helped me to get a real job," he said.
The 26-year-old is now a role model in a program that's about not just selling treats, but changing lives.
For more information on Variety including how you can help support their programs, click here: https://varietyphila.org/
