154: Charity: Water Ambassador Kayla Houchin Raised $147K—And Proved a Movement Can Start with One Person

What if your birthday could change lives?

In this episode, I sit down with Kayla Houchin, founder of Sonder Bakehouse, a passionate fundraiser, and a longtime advocate for Charity: Water. Kayla shares how a book and a single birthday campaign turned into over $100,000 raised (and counting!) to bring clean water to communities worldwide. We talk about the power of starting small, how joy and creativity fuel sustainability in fundraising, and why showing up with purpose can inspire a whole town to rally behind your mission. From auctioning cakes to hosting galas, Kayla proves that you don’t need to be a full-time nonprofit pro to make a massive impact—you just need clarity, consistency, and a little courage to ask. Whether you’re planning your first peer-to-peer campaign or dreaming of a million-dollar impact, Kayla’s story will reignite your belief in grassroots fundraising and remind you why the why matters most.

Topics:

• Kayla shares how reading a book led her to start her first birthday fundraiser for Charity: Water
• Kayla explains how she raised over $100K—one cake (and birthday) at a time
• How tapping into joy fuels both donor enthusiasm
• Inside Kayla’s first gala with Scott Harrison from Charity: Water
• Powerful stories from the front lines of grassroots giving
• How staying connected to purpose helps you push past discomfort and keep going

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

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Resources:

• Purpose & Profit Club® Coaching Program [Get on the waitlist for bonuses]
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers [details here]
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
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