How does a well-established nonprofit gala successfully draw in new segments of the community to increase event fundraising and impact?

Today, I talk with Angela Garza, Executive Director of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's Houston Chapter, to talk about the organization's annual St. Jude Houston Gala.

The legendary organization, founded by Danny Thomas in 1962, St. Jude provides customized care for children with cancer regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs, or ability to pay. Each year, over 8,000 children receive treatment at St. Jude's main campus in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as eight other regional affiliate locations around the United States.

For many years, the St. Jude Houston Gala received strong support from the Lebanese community in Houston, which is the ancestral lineage of Danny Thomas. In recent years, the St. Jude Houston Chapter has successfully scaled this support team by engaging broader segments of the Houston community. The result is increased fundraising impact and attendance with the 2025 St. Jude Houston Gala raising a record-breaking $1.65 million.

Angela provides valuable insights on a range of topics, including assembling event committees to help bring your event vision to life, tips on selecting event honorees that highlight the organization's mission and impact, successfully balancing a national/global organization's mission while maintaining a local feel, and so much more. This is one episode you will definitely not want to miss.