FHSR COMMUNITY IMPACT DOCUMENTARY
Nonprofit storytelling that drives fundraising. Showing impact authentically, not just talking about it.
Client: Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources (FHSR)
Industry: Nonprofit / Healthcare / Education
Year: 2024
Crew: 2 (Director/DP + Assistant)
Shoot Duration: 5 days (1 day interviews + 4 days B-roll)
Deliverables: Fundraising documentary video + 200+ event photos (Rock The Town for Hearing)
Services: Documentary Filmmaking, Video Production, Event Photography, Audio Post-Production (ADR)
Locations: Studio, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Child's Voice School, Chicago therapy facilities, family environments
THE CLIENT
About FHSR
Foundation for Hearing and Speech Resources (FHSR) serves families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children across Illinois. With programming that spans clinical services (loaner hearing aids, cochlear implant mapping), education (early literacy), and unique music therapy, FHSR positively impacts 840+ children annually.
What this means:
When you're a nonprofit serving an underserved community, storytelling isn't marketing - it's survival. Donor funding, grant applications, and volunteer recruitment all depend on showing your impact authentically.
Why this matters:
Working with nonprofits serving underserved communities isn't just about making a video, it's about amplifying their mission. FHSR supports families navigating a life-changing diagnosis, provides clinical resources regardless of financial need, and helps 840+ children become productive, happy, engaged adults.
Half of the photography budget was donated back to the organization because this work matters.
the CHALLENGE
Tell the Story of 840 Children Without Making It Feel Generic
FHSR needed a documentary that would:
- Show donors the tangible impact of their funding
- Support grant applications with compelling visual evidence
- Help families understand FHSR's programs when they're navigating a diagnosis
- Drive fundraising at annual events
The storytelling challenge: How do you capture the emotional journey of families discovering their child is deaf while also explaining clinical programs, educational support, and music therapy—across multiple locations, with children, medical professionals, and board members?
What was at stake:
- Fundraising: Annual "Rock The Town for Hearing" event needed content that inspires donations
- Grant applications: Foundations require proof of impact, not just mission statements
- Family recruitment: Parents searching for resources need to see what FHSR actually provides
the APPROACH
5-Day Production Across Multiple Locations
Phase 1: Interview Day
I filmed 8 interview subjects across different roles:
- Kristen VanDyke – Executive Director
- Heather Bennett – Co-Chair, Board of Directors
- Robert Radasevich – Co-Chair, Board of Directors
- Lindsey Saxton – Director, Board of Directors
- AnnaTess, Ed.D – Principal, Child's Voice
- Jen Haney – Hart Family Cochlear Implant Education Coordinator, Lurie Children's Hospital
- Sally Blandon – Early Childhood + General Music Program Director
- Rollen Cooper – Educator
Each interview explored a different angle: What does a parent experience when their child is diagnosed? How does cochlear implant mapping work? Why is music therapy critical for language development?
Phase 2: B-Roll Production (4 Days)
filmed across multiple locations to show FHSR's programs in action:
- Lurie Children's Hospital – cochlear implant mapping sessions, clinical consultations
- Child's Voice School – classroom instruction, therapy sessions
- Music therapy sessions – children singing, engaging with sound
- Family interactions – parents and children working together
The goal: show the programs, not just talk about them.
Phase 3: ADR Recording Session
We recorded additional narration to strengthen the storytelling arc, connecting the emotional journey of families with FHSR's practical support.
Phase 4: Event Photography
I photographed FHSR's annual "Rock The Town for Hearing" fundraiser, delivering 200+ images used for donor thank-yous, social media, and next year's promotional materials.
THE DELIVERABLES
✓ Fundraising documentary video (multiple interview subjects + B-roll package)
✓ Content filmed across 5+ locations (hospital, schools, therapy sessions, families)
✓ 200+ images from "Rock The Town for Hearing" fundraiser
✓ Assets deployed across website, social media, donor presentations, grant applications
THE DOCUMENTARY STORY
"For Any Parent Finding Out Your Child Is Deaf, It Completely Turns Everything Upside Down"
The documentary opens with a parent's perspective: the moment you discover your child is deaf, your expectations for their future change completely. FHSR becomes the central place families go to find information, understand next steps, and access programming.
The film walks through FHSR's three core program areas:
1. Clinical Services
Loaner hearing aid program
Cochlear implant support and mapping (the technical process that allows children to access sound)
Partnership with Lurie Children's Hospital
2. Education Programming
Early literacy programming (critical for deaf children to achieve on par with hearing peers)
Hart Family Cochlear Implant Education Coordinator role (founded in 2008 with key funding from founding board member Louise Hart)
3. Music Therapy
"Music to My Ears" program is one of the only music programs dedicated to children with hearing loss
Music develops spoken language, melody, tone, and communication skills
The Impact:
"In the past year, FHSR through our initiatives and programming have positively impacted the lives of more than 840 deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Illinois."
The documentary closes with a call to action for donors: "When you're considering where to donate your money, I can't think of anything more impactful than directly affecting the potential of children—that will lead to them being successful as adults."
THE PRODUCTION CHALLENGE
Filming a documentary with this many moving parts requires:
- Scheduling coordination across hospital systems, schools, and family availability
- Working with children in sensitive therapy and learning environments
- Capturing authentic moments in medical settings (cochlear implant mapping, therapy sessions)
- Multiple locations with different lighting, sound, and access constraints
- Emotional sensitivity when filming families navigating a life-changing diagnosis
Each location had unique challenges: hospitals have strict protocols, schools require careful coordination with educators, and children and their parents need to feel comfortable on camera during vulnerable moments.
THE RESULT
A Story That Inspires Action
FHSR now has a comprehensive fundraising documentary used across:
- Donor presentations
- Grant applications
- Website and social media
- Family recruitment
"Rock The Town for Hearing" Fundraiser
- Raised over $100K
- 200+ event photos delivered for donor thank-yous and promotional use
Community Impact: Half of the photography budget was donated back to FHSR, supporting the organization's mission while documenting their work.
Highly recommend hiring Daniel. I have had the pleasure of working with Daniel on multiple projects for video, production and photography for the non-profit where I am a member of the Board of Directors.
He and his team are consistently professional, focused and meticulous, making the high quality and expert content they create appear effortless. He would be an excellent choice for any company or organization needing to share their mission with potential funders or customers.
Heather H. Bennett
Partner & Managing Director at Newport LLC |
Marketing & Business Strategist | Board Director |
Fractional Exec | Podcast Host | Author
Does you nonprofit need a story that inspires action?
If you're raising funds, applying for grants, or recruiting families to your programs, you need more than a mission statement, you need proof of impact. I specialize in nonprofit storytelling that shows your work authentically, not just talks about it.
No pitch. No pressure.
Just a conversation to see if this fits your goals and your workflow.
Start Your Project