Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) supports 158 children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada, helping provide critical treatment and healthcare services to over 10 million kids each year.
Increase year-end donations by reaching new audiences—especially Gen Z—through emotionally driven content.
We produced short-form videos featuring CMN families and staff, shared across CMN’s channels and our “Are You Happy” platforms. Content focused on emotional storytelling with clear calls to action.
The campaign boosted impressions, engagement, and follower growth. “This collaboration was definitely successful in increasing our key metrics,” said Sana James of CMN. The content also helped CMN reach Gen Z on TikTok - an audience previously difficult to engage.
How Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Reached Gen Z and Drove Year-End Donations
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) supports 158 children's hospitals across the U.S. and Canada, helping provide critical treatment and healthcare services to over 10 million kids each year. But reaching younger donors — especially Gen Z — through traditional channels had proven consistently difficult.
The Challenge
With year-end fundraising approaching, CMN needed to expand beyond their existing donor base. Their goal: drive donations from a new generation of supporters who discover causes through social media, not mail or TV. TikTok represented a massive opportunity — but required authentic, platform-native storytelling that traditional video production couldn't deliver.
The Solution
Happy Productions produced short-form videos featuring CMN families and staff, distributed across CMN's channels and our "Are You Happy" social platforms. Content was built around emotional storytelling with clear calls to action — optimized for TikTok's nonprofit audience and aligned with the latest short-form video trends for nonprofits. Every piece was designed to feel native to the platform, not like an ad.
The Results
The campaign delivered across every key metric: 600,000+ organic reach, strong engagement and follower growth, $1,500 in donations raised within 30 days, and meaningful inroads into a Gen Z audience CMN had previously struggled to engage. "This collaboration was definitely successful in increasing our key metrics," said Sana James of CMN Hospitals.
For nonprofits exploring video-driven fundraising campaigns, this case study shows what's possible when authentic storytelling meets the right platform strategy.
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The people who commissioned this campaign, on camera and unscripted.
Screens from the feeds this work was made for.
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