Case Study: Happy Bottoms – Harnessing the Power of Video to Drive Impact and Fundraising Success

Overview

Happy Bottoms, Kansas City’s only diaper bank, provides critical support to families in need by distributing millions of diapers each year. In 2023 alone, they supplied nearly 6 million diapers, serving over 18,900 families. But as demand grew, so did the need for resources. For their 15th anniversary gala, Happy Bottoms turned to Forever Ready Productions to create a compelling video that would bring their mission to life and drive fundraising success.

The Challenge

As a backbone organization, Happy Bottoms operates behind the scenes, working with partner agencies rather than directly with families. This posed a challenge in telling personal, emotional stories that would resonate with donors.

Additionally, the stigma around diaper needs made it difficult to find families willing to share their experiences. Happy Bottoms needed a way to authentically showcase the impact of their work while maintaining dignity and compassion for those they serve.

The Solution

Forever Ready Productions took on the challenge by:

  • Traveling to partner agencies to find and interview families directly.

  • Creating a video that highlighted real stories in a compassionate, uplifting way.

  • Ensuring that the message resonated with both donors and volunteers.

The video was not only a centerpiece for the gala but also became a powerful tool for onboarding volunteers and engaging supporters year-round.

The Results

  • Record-Breaking Fundraising: The video played a key role in helping Happy Bottoms raise more money at their 15th anniversary gala than ever before.

  • Volunteer Engagement: With over 3,000 volunteers annually, the video has become a key storytelling tool, making the impact of their work more tangible.

  • Scaling Up Operations: In response to increasing demand, Happy Bottoms expanded its diaper distribution from 50 to 75 diapers per child per month. This required more volunteers, more storage, and even a new truck—but they made it happen.

  • Community Impact: By the end of 2024, Happy Bottoms increased their distribution by 76%, providing nearly 6 million diapers to families in need.

Why Video Matters

Susan Belger Angulo, Co-Executive Director of Happy Bottoms, emphasized that video storytelling has transformed the way they connect with donors and volunteers. From gala presentations to personalized donor thank-yous, video allows them to illustrate their impact in ways words alone cannot.

"Having a video helps tell your story in such a compassionate and creative way. When you hear it from the perspective of a client, it makes it that much more special."

Why It Worked

  1. Journalistic Approach: Our deep dive into each community ensured the stories were authentic and emotionally compelling.

  2. Strategic Distribution: The videos weren’t just created—they were launched with an intentional communication plan to maximize reach.

  3. Scalability & Sustainability: These stories became an ongoing resource for advocacy, education, and policymaking.

Looking Ahead

Happy Bottoms continues to evolve, using video as a key tool in fundraising and donor stewardship. As they prepare to revamp their annual event, video will play a central role in shaping the experience and engaging supporters.

Want to tell a powerful story that sparks impact? Let’s talk.