For Immediate Release: February 9, 2023
Kelly Cannon
Kelly.Cannon@BlueKC.com
O: 816-395-3711
KANSAS CITY, MO. (February 9, 2023)—Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) is honored to have been named the 2022 Volunteer Group of the Year by Kansas City nonprofit, HappyBottoms. The award celebrates an organization that went above and beyond in their support of the local charity. Since 2009, HappyBottoms has collaborated with the community to empower, connect, and impact low-income families, helping cover the monthly diaper shortage, known as the “diaper gap.”
“Blue KC employees are always eager to give their time in support of local organizations. We are proud to work with HappyBottoms to help supply diapers to families in our community,” said Macaela Stephenson, Director of Community Relations and Investment, Blue KC. “Last year, our employees not only volunteered at the HappyBottoms warehouse, but our new employees were able to come together onsite at Blue KC to pack over 17,500 diapers! We are so appreciative of the partnership with HappyBottoms and for this amazing recognition.”
Diapers, which are not covered by government safety net programs like SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid, are in constant need. In fact, one in three families does not have enough to keep their child clean, dry, and healthy. Parents who cannot afford the cost of diapers are more likely to leave them on their children for longer than intended, resulting in as many as one million pediatric dermatitis visits per year for children under the age of four. Organizations like HappyBottoms and their community partners are often the only option for connecting low-income families with solutions and support.
“Our partners at Blue KC have been so instrumental in the success of HappyBottoms in 2022. By donating their time and resources to help alleviate diaper need in Kansas City, Blue KC has impacted the lives of thousands of children in our metro,” said Brandon Selig-Votaw, Outreach and Volunteer Manager, HappyBottoms. “We greatly appreciate the ongoing support for families and our mission.”
Blue KC, along with other volunteer groups, will be celebrated at the HappyBottoms volunteer celebration event, taking place on February 8 at HJ’s Youth and Community Center in Kansas City, MO. Learn more about HappyBottoms at happybottoms.org.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City provides health coverage services to more than one million residents in the greater Kansas City area, including Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and 30 counties in Northwest Missouri. Our mission: to provide affordable access to healthcare and to improve the health of our members. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on the company, visit its website at BlueKC.com.
