From 1924 through 1940 The Day Star Mission, a settlement house located at the corner of Hudson and Pottawatomie, provided an educational center with social services to the underprivileged and impoverished victims of the Great Depression.  After 16 years of providing home economic and child care classes, clothing, layettes and free health clinics in conjunction with the city health office, the women who operated and financed the mission house could no longer assume full responsibility.   Thus, in 1939 the property was deeded to a group in the entertainment industry known as the Variety Club.   Variety Club determined that it was vital to the community to erect a building that could house the private health agencies in one establishment that had previously operated in numerous locations throughout Oklahoma City.  When the original Variety Club Health Center opened on June 26, 1941, it consisted of the Oklahoma County Tuberculosis and Health Association, the Salvation Army’s dental clinic, the Maternal Health Center’s prenatal and postnatal clinics, the Junior League’s child health clinic, and the American Red Cross (nutrition and home nursing classes).  Within the first year of opening, Variety’s scope widened to include a blood bank and an eye clinic and in the third year added a hearing clinic.

Variety Health Center (having dropped “Club” in 1942) experienced rapid growth in patient visits in it’s first 20 years of operation and desperately needed more space. In the spring of 1962, Variety moved into its new 4,000 sq. ft. home at 1504 S. Walker.  The new location provided dental, eye, prenatal and pediatric clinics and special rooms where new mothers were given instruction on child care.  After a decade it was again necessary to expand.  Another 2,400 square feet provided space for two more exam rooms and an eye screening room. 

From 1986 to 1991 patient visits increased by 147%!  Unfortunately, another addition was not possible because the building, constructed on shifting landfill, was beyond repair, let alone expansion.  The Board of Directors began a search for a new facility.  In 1992, the Bank of Oklahoma generously donated our current downtown building, valued at the time at $375,000.  A capital campaign to renovate the facility raised over $1,000,000.  And in 1997, to support the health needs of the community surrounding Tinker Air Force Base, Variety opened a satellite clinic at 3851 Tinker Diagonal in Del City. 

We are still growing at an average rate of 24% annually!  After 75 years of providing health services to indigent women and children, Variety Health Center sees more patients annually than could be seated at the Ford Center for a hockey game!    Be sure to read about what we have in store for the future to meet the health care needs of low-income women and children in our community!!

 

 

Junior League Child Health Clinic

Maternal Health Center in Variety Health Center

Salvation Army Dental Clinic

Junior League’s Child Health Clinic