Letting Our Light Shine: How Your Support Helps Us Give Back to Families Each Christmas Season

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

Every year as the Christmas season approaches, we feel the same stirring in our hearts — a mix of excitement, gratitude, and a renewed sense of purpose. What we do here at Acres of Grace Farms and A Southern Marketplace has always been about more than events and vendor markets. At the foundation of everything is a simple mission:

To love our community well and to shine the light of Jesus through generosity, kindness, and service.

And the beautiful part is this:You help make it possible.

Every time you purchase a ticket, shop our marketplace, visit a vendor, or support one of our family businesses, a portion of those proceeds goes right back into serving families in our region. You may not see the full impact — but we do. And the truth is, you are a huge part of something meaningful and deeply needed in our community.

Why We Give: A Heart Full of Purpose

Giving is not a seasonal idea for us — it’s a calling, a conviction, and a way of life.

We give because:

• God has been so faithful, and we want to honor Him by pouring that blessing back out.

• Our community matters, and we believe in showing love through action.

• We grew up watching generosity lived out, and we want to carry that legacy forward.

• We want our children and others to experience firsthand the joy of serving.

• We believe generosity reflects Jesus, and Christmas is the perfect time to let His light shine.

Each December, that calling becomes even stronger. We get the privilege of stepping into homes, meeting families where they are, and offering love in a very practical way — through our Christmas Food Basket Program.

The 150+ Christmas Food Baskets: A Tradition That Means the World to Us

While we support many causes throughout the year — sponsoring children at Christmas, helping families in crisis, and supplying items to the Department of Children’s Services — the outreach closest to our hearts is the creation and delivery of our Christmas food baskets.

Each December, we prepare over 150 full baskets, thoughtfully filled with:

• A holiday ham

• Fresh fruit

• Pantry staples families can use long after Christmas

• Seasonal treats to brighten the holiday

• And most importantly — love, prayer, and handwritten encouragement

Before a single basket is delivered, our team pauses to pray blessings over each one — over the home it will enter, the family who will receive it, and the year ahead. It is a tender, humbling moment that reminds us who this is truly for.

Then, with help from volunteers, family, and friends, we load up and deliver them throughout the community. And those moments — knocking on doors, handing over baskets, seeing tears of gratitude or relief — stay with us long after December ends.

It’s emotional.It’s holy.And it reflects exactly what Christmas is about.

You Are the Hero of This Story

We want you to truly understand this:Because of YOU, we are able to do this.

When you:• shop our markets• support our vendors• attend our events• purchase a VIP Night ticket• or simply show up and be part of the community…

You are helping fill those baskets.You are helping sponsor children.You are helping us supply essentials to DCS.You are helping us serve families who need a reminder that God sees them.

You may never see the faces of the families you bless, but we do — and we’re honored to stand in that doorway on your behalf.

You make a difference. More than you know.And we are humbled, grateful, and deeply blessed by your support.

This Year: An Invitation to Serve With Us

One of the most beautiful parts of this mission is assembling the baskets together. The joy, the teamwork, the conversations, the intentional love poured into each one — it’s something special.

This year, we want to open that opportunity to more people.

If you or your family feel led to help us prepare the Christmas baskets, please reach out to us.There is something unforgettable about serving side-by-side, especially during a season centered around giving.We would be honored to have you join us.

Every Purchase Helps Us Give Back — And We Want to Give Back to You Too

We know you have many choices when it comes to where and how you spend your time and resources. It means the world to us that you choose to support our events and our vendors.

As a small way of giving back to the community that gives so much to us, we host a FREE Interactive Christmas Light Show every Friday & Saturday in December from 4–8 PM.

Bring your family, bring your friends — walk through the lights, enjoy the mini market, grab some food, and make memories. It’s our way of saying:

Thank you.We see you.We appreciate you.We love this community.

And we love giving families a place to experience joy, beauty, and the wonder of the season — without any cost.

Shining His Light — Together

At the end of the day, every basket, every blessing, every act of generosity stems from one place: our desire to glorify God.

Matthew 5:16 says:“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

That is our mission.That is our hope.That is what drives every event, every marketplace, every hour of preparation, and every moment of giving.

We pray that as you shop with us, serve with us, celebrate with us, or walk through the lights with your family, you feel the heart behind everything we do.

Thank you for being part of our story.Thank you for helping us serve others.Thank you for shining light into places you may never see.

We are blessed by you.We are grateful for you.And we give God all the glory — this season and always.