How Houston Food Bank Grew 5,200 Monthly Donors - The Importance of a Sustainer Role

Monthly Giving Week is here! So how do you grow a recurring donor program from a trickle to over 5,200 committed supporters? 

In this powerful episode, Ashlyn Jones, the force behind Houston Food Bank’s “Faithful Friends” program, shares how the organization invested in a full-time sustainer role. 

AND, why having someone solely focused on nurturing monthly givers has been a game changer for retention and revenue.

Ashlyn walks us through how emergencies, storytelling, and strategic touchpoints helped build long-term donor loyalty. She dives into the campaigns and platforms they’ve used, including paid social ads, telefunding, and stewardship emails - and how simple things like phone calls and handwritten notes have moved the needle on retention.

One of the most inspiring takeaways? Ashlyn’s approach to storytelling and writing in a way that donors feel their impact immediately, leading to an increase in their monthly gifts. This episode is jam-packed with actionable advice for nonprofits ready to build a loyal base of recurring donors.

Resources & Links

Connect with Ashlyn on LinkedIn and learn more about the Houston Food Bank on their website.

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