When disaster struck Haiti in 2010, Julie Lawson felt a pull she couldn’t ignore. While many watched the devastation from afar, Julie felt called to respond—not just with sympathy, but with action. That call would eventually lead her across borders, into remote villages, and even into her own kitchen, where flour, faith, and generosity came together in an unexpected way.

Although her work doesn’t fall under a traditional nonprofit structure, Julie founded Baking for Haiti in 2016 as a deeply personal mission rooted in service. What began as a simple desire to help grew into a powerful grassroots effort that has funded multiple mission trips and provided critical support to Haitians in need.

Julie’s journey to Haiti was shaped by both timing and trust. After years of small supply drives and fundraising through Christian organizations, she continued to feel that God was asking her to do more. That opportunity came when friends began traveling to Haiti with DriButts, an organization that creates and distributes fast-drying, sustainable diapers to families in remote villages. Inspired by their work, Julie took a leap of faith and joined a mission team.

Her first trip to Haiti in July 2017 proved life-changing. During that visit, Julie spent time at the Haiti Deaf Academy (HDA)—a moment that felt especially meaningful after 44 years as an educational sign language interpreter. What felt like a dream quickly turned into a long-term commitment. Julie became deeply involved with HDA and eventually served on its board of directors, further expanding her impact.

Before that first trip, Julie searched for a way to raise awareness and support for Haiti and her mission work. At the time, she had recently begun baking cakes for her husband’s workplace. With encouragement from a friend, she wondered aloud if people might donate money in exchange for her cakes. The answer was a resounding yes—and Baking for Haiti was born.

Through countless layer cakes, Bundt cakes, and cheesecakes baked with love, Julie raised enough money to fund all six of her trips to Haiti. Donations also helped others travel, while providing food, shelter, education, medicine, and hope to Haitians facing unimaginable hardship.

Throughout it all, Julie’s husband, James, was her greatest supporter. From cooking dinners on long baking nights to offering unwavering encouragement, he stood beside her every step of the way. Friends often gathered in her kitchen during large fundraisers, turning hard work into shared purpose and joy. After relocating to the area, Julie was even asked to bake for the local restaurant Noble Roots, a chapter she embraced wholeheartedly before family health challenges required her to pause.

Life has brought seasons of profound loss, including the passing of both her mother and her husband. Yet even in grief, Julie continues to give. Today, she bakes on a limited basis for neighbors and friends in Savannah Quarters and lovingly provides birthday cakes for the residents of Tharros Place—a gift that brings her great joy.

For Julie, baking has become more than a fundraiser. It’s a ministry of encouragement. She often bakes “pick-me-up” cakes for people going through difficult seasons, sometimes sponsored by someone who simply wants to bless a stranger. In one especially touching example, a friend who had lost her own husband sponsored a cake after James passed away. Julie shared that cake with her GriefShare group—spreading comfort locally while supporting those in need in Haiti.

Julie welcomes the Westbrook community to get involved in simple but meaningful ways: ordering a cake for a special occasion, sponsoring a cake for someone who needs encouragement, donating baking supplies, or sharing her story. Since she doesn’t make money from the cakes, donations of ingredients—everything from flour to cocoa to butter—make a tremendous difference.

Julie and James moved to Pooler in 2022 from Powder Springs, Georgia, and quickly fell in love with the community. They chose the area for its proximity to Savannah and the beach, but found something even more special in Savannah Quarters: friendship, connection, and a place that felt like home.

Through faith, resilience, and a whole lot of heart, Julie Lawson reminds us that making a difference doesn’t always require a formal title or organization—sometimes, it starts with answering a call and offering what you have. In Julie’s case, that offering just happens to be a cake baked with purpose.