AT&T and Variety help Aaron find his voice

In this season of Thanksgiving, we all ponder what we’re most grateful for in our lives. Aaron doesn’t have to think very hard to find his answer. At 7 years old, Aaron, who deals with autism, developmental delay and expressive language disorder, just found his voice. It comes in the way of a Vantage Light communication device – a $7,755 piece of equipment provided by Variety.

“It’s just wonderful to see a child who has no language – no voice – tell me he wants pretzels or cookies, or he wants to go outside,” said Aaron’s mom, Beth. “Before, it was a guessing game when he needed something. This truly gives him a voice. It is an absolute gift.”

Variety is pleased to announce that this device is funded by a new initiative with AT&T called “Access Your Voice.” AT&T has committed $25,000 to the program, which will provide Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices to children with physical and mental disabilities throughout the year. These devices range from software that can be loaded onto a family’s iPad, costing about $200, to highly sophisticated eye-gaze devices controlled by direct vision in one or both eyes. The latter type of equipment is for those with limited use of their hands, and can cost as much as $15,000. Variety works directly with a child’s physician and/or therapist to obtain a prescription for the appropriate device. Once Variety has purchased the equipment, Health Services Director Diane Gruszka stays in close contact with the family to monitor the child’s progress.

Over the years, AT&T and its employees have gifted more than $1.5 million to Variety, helping St. Louis children with disabilities reach their full potential. AT&T has been an enduring source of vision and leadership for Variety, as three former company presidents have served as president of the Variety Board of Directors. AT&T employees have also supported Variety with their volunteer efforts, particularly by staffing the Variety Telethon phone bank for nearly 40 years.

“Keeping people and their families connected to the ones they love is at the core of everything we do at AT&T,” said John Sondag, president of AT&T Missouri. “These communication devices are more than just technology – they are a lifeline. We are proud to support Variety in helping even more local children, like Aaron, find their voice.”