Diapers for KC Families in Need.

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FAQs

Get fast answers to questions about our cause and working with us. See FAQ

Did you know?

Over 15,000 kids
in the KC metro
need diaper assistance
Donate today

Drives & Events

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Give Butts a Chance

Special events with diaper donation bins. Diaper and fundraising drive locations. Other chances to do good on behalf of HappyBottoms and our partner agencies. They’re all right here — ready for you to take that all-important next step and get involved.

Upcoming Events

We add new events all the time — we’re popular like that — so please check back often. Find one and get involved. Your karma will thank you. 

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Host a Drive, Party or Baby Shower

Ask not what diapers can do for you.
Ask what diapers can do for your community.

So you want to get involved? Smart move — and a very generous one on behalf of low-income families in the Kansas City area. There are plenty of easy, fun ways to help. 

Become a HappyBottoms Ambassador
Spread the good word about our cause by having some good fun. Our Ambassadors bring people together for happy hours, shopping events and more. Learn more by contacting ambassador@happybottoms.org. 

Host a diaper drive
Just download the materials below to get started. Next, your organization, school, place of worship, group of friends or workplace can hold a diaper drive that makes a difference in the lives of our community’s children. 

Use these materials to plan and promote your event:

Throw a charitable party
Go bottoms up for HappyBottoms. Start planning today and download our Party Invitations. 

Host a baby shower
You could host one to collect diapers and funds for low-income Kansas City families. Download our Baby Shower Invite and start planning now.

Order “The Butt Stops Here” T-shirts for your event
You know you want one. They’re a great way to show added support for our cause at your event or just when you walk down the street. Plus, the cost includes a tax-deductible $10 donation — which equals a month’s worth of diapers for a child in need. 

Questions? Contact us. We’re happy to help. 

Thanks to These Groups for Their Recent Support

Ben White
Career Advisor

CBIZ

Guest Communications

Honey Dews Baby Expo

In Joy Music

Kansas City MO Junior League

Kathryn Deck and Jenni Purvis

The National Charity League - High school and Middle School Students

Optum

RezWest

VML

Warehouse 1

Youth Volunteer Cor

 

Did you know?

We can turn
$10 into a months
worth of diapers
Donate today

Receive

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All Butts Are
Created Equal

Sure, the phrase above might be crass — but it’s true. It’s also why we work hard to provide diapers for low-income families in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

HappyBottoms collects and buys diapers at highly discounted rates from nonprofit channels such as Harvesters. Then we give the diapers to our partner agencies, which distribute them among the families they serve. We can’t give diapers directly to families for a variety of reasons. So if your family would like to receive diapers, please contact our partner agencies listed below rather than HappyBottoms.

Does your agency or group want to receive diapers?

Complete our Partner Application. Please note: We currently have a waiting list of applicants that may delay our response to your submission.

Resources

Diapering and stress reduction tips for parents and caregivers
We’re also committed to providing educational resources on healthy diapering and stress reduction. We welcome you to download these tips for parents:

Current Partners

We’re proud to provide diapers to these organizations. 

About

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Life, Liberty &
Diapers for All

We Are Kansas City’s Diaper Bank

Our mission: working with our partners to provide diapers to low-income families through donations, both financial and in-kind, and conducting diaper drives while raising awareness of the need for diapers for low-income families.

Why Diapers?

One in five Kansas City area kids lives in poverty.* For many, diapers remain an overlooked area of need despite today’s best outreach efforts. Here are a few reasons why fulfilling this need is so critical:

  1. Safety-net programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) don’t cover the purchase of diapers.
  2. Diapers are expensive — plus cost exponentially more at inner-city convenience stores compared to big-box stores or online.
  3. Cloth isn’t an option for the families we serve. If you’re poor, you probably don’t own a washing machine, and some Laundromats don’t allow cloth diapers. Additionally, licensed day care centers, especially the free and subsidized kind, don’t accept cloth diapers.
  1. If a family can’t afford diapers, a baby will spend extended periods, sometimes days, in the same soiled diaper. This amplifies the risk of numerous health problems, including diaper rash, and may be linked to an increased rate of hepatitis.
  2. Unhappy babies are crying babies. And crying babies are more likely to be abused by already stressed-out caregivers.


​* Source: United Community Services of Johnson County.

The Woman Who Started It All

Founding Director
Jill Gaikowski founded HappyBottoms in 2010 after learning about the need for diapers across the nation. After researching, Jill discovered that many cities were doing something about it and that she could help too — right here in Kansas City. That’s how HappyBottoms began. Jill has since relocated with her family to the Twin Cities and is grateful to have found a team that continues HappyBottoms’ mission. She stays connected with the organization and will always be a HappyBottoms advocate.

Happening People Who Helped This Happen

A special thank-you goes to The National Diaper Bank Network for its leadership and support of diaper banks nationwide, Huggies and The Diaper Bank. These organizations are amazing. 

Board of Directors

Linda Cavanaugh – Community Volunteer

Seth Chaikin – Marketsphere Consulting

Jill Gaikowski – Founding Director

Tess Koppelman – WDAF TV FOX 4

Elizabeth Lewis – Commerce Bank

Patt Papenfuhs – The Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Bob Parker, CPA - Board Treasurer - TPP Accounting

Sister Berta Sailer – Co-Founder/Co-Director Operation Breakthrough

Bernie Schroer - CBIZ

Karla Shepard – Board Secretary –  Seigfreid Bingham, PC

Liz Sutherlin – Board President – Community Volunteer

Pam Sutherlin – Community Volunteer 

Our Volunteers

We’re also extremely grateful for the small army of passionate volunteers who help HappyBottoms continue its mission day after day. 

Would you like to volunteer? Just contact us or explore ways to donate and volunteer, including hosting events and parties, making a financial donation, becoming a corporate sponsor and more.

Can we help you?

Complete our online Partner Application to see if your agency qualifies to receive diapers. Please note: we have a waiting list that may delay responses, and we cannot give diapers to individual families. Due to staff limits, we also cannot respond to requests from individual families asking for diapers.

Need a copy of our Form 990?

Just download a copy now. 

SOME BABIES

Spend Days
In The Same
diaper
Donate today

Contact

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Let's Talk

Have feedback? Questions about our organization? We would love to hear from you. Just complete the form below. All fields are required. You will receive an email confirming that we received your message.

Please note: We can’t distribute diapers directly to families. Instead, we give our diapers to our partner organizations, which distribute them to the families they serve. If you need diapers, please contact one of our partner organizations rather than sending us an inquiry about receiving diapers.

Additionally, due to staff limits, we’re unable to respond to calls and emails from individuals asking for diapers. Thank you for understanding. 

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