Christmas Program - Anchored Ministries

What is the Christmas Program?

Our Christmas Gift Giving Program is a cherished tradition built on a simple idea: sharing the love of Christ with families who might otherwise struggle to provide a joyful Christmas for their children. It’s a beacon of hope in our community, and it makes sure every child gets to experience the wonder of the season.

Each year, families invited into the program fill out a wishlist for each of their children. Those wishlists get paired with generous sponsors from the local community who commit to making the wishes come true. The response has been overwhelming, with hundreds of children blessed through the kindness of their neighbors.

It all comes together at a heartwarming distribution event, where parents and guardians receive their children’s gifts, wrap them with help from volunteers, shop for stocking stuffers, and share a warm meal. It’s more than a gift exchange. It’s a celebration of community, compassion, and the transforming power of love.

Who’s it for?

The program is open to families with children from birth through 18 who live in or attend school within the Twin Valley or Daniel Boone School Districts (depending on the program), including public, private, and homeschool students.

To qualify, families also need to meet certain income or assistance guidelines, such as receiving SNAP or TANF, having children in foster care, or meeting the criteria for homeless, runaway, or migrant youth.

You can review current guidelines here:

So we can serve as many local families as possible, we ask that you apply to only one Christmas gift assistance program. If you meet these guidelines, we’d be honored to support your family as you get ready for the year.

How It Works

Families register and submit a wishlist for each child.
Wishlists are matched to individual donors, businesses, and churches who choose to sponsor a child.
Sponsors shop for the gifts and return them to Anchored.
Gifts are organized by family behind the scenes.
Families come to the distribution event, pick up their children’s gifts, wrap them with volunteer help, shop for stocking stuffers, and enjoy a warm meal.

The pickup model is intentional. Parents are the ones giving the gifts to their children, not Anchored. That’s dignity, and it’s the whole point.

Get Involved

Sponsor a child and help provide the gifts and experiences that make Christmas real for a family in need. It’s one of the most direct ways to spread hope this season.

Learn More

Host a Toy Drive

Bring your community together to collect gifts for children in need. Hosting a toy drive is a fun, rewarding way to share the joy of Christmas. These gifts stock the stocking-stuffer shopping at the distribution event.

Host a Drive

Donate Baked Goods

Share your kitchen skills to brighten the holidays. Your baked goods help make the distribution event festive and memorable for the families who attend.
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Get in touch

Volunteer to help

Help us set up, organize gifts, staff the wrapping stations, and welcome families on the day of the event. Every contribution, big or small, makes a real difference.

Volunteer

For businesses and individuals who want to make a bigger impact, there are several ways to sponsor the program and make sure every child is shown the love of Christ this Christmas.

Learn More

The Difference it Makes

Behind every wishlist is a parent quietly dreading what Christmas will look like this year. When they walk out with wrapped gifts their kids will love, that weight lifts. You can see it on their faces. Protecting that relief, and the joy of Christmas morning, is what this whole program is built to do.

Your Business.
Bigger Impact. Brighter Christmas.

This holiday season, your business can make a meaningful difference while gaining valuable community exposure. By sponsoring the Christmas Program, you help bring joy and relief to local families, and you show your customers that your business gives back where it matters most.

Make a local impact
Show your heart
Community visibility
Build goodwill
Support local families
Promote your brand

Program Sponsor Opportunities

2025 Sponsors

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question? Check out this list of our top questions.

Participants
Sponsors

The program is open to families with children in the Twin Valley School District who are experiencing financial hardship.

To apply for the Anchored Ministries Christmas Program, your children must meet all of the following three eligibility requirements. Please read each section carefully to ensure you qualify.

Age Requirement
Your children must be between birth and 18 years old in order to be eligible for this program.

Residency Requirement
Your children must either attend or live within the Twin Valley School District. This includes:

Public school students within the district.
Homeschool students within the district boundaries.
Private school students within the district.

Income or Assistance Requirement
Your children must meet one of the following conditions to qualify based on income or assistance:

Your household receives benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
Your children are foster children under the legal care of a foster care agency or the court.
Your children meet the federal definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant.
Your household income is at or below the limits set by the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines for the free/reduced lunch program. You can check the current guidelines here:
a. SNAP Eligibility Guidelines
b. Free/Reduced Lunch Income Guidelines
c. TANF Cash Assistance Information

One Program Application Policy
You may apply to only one Christmas assistance program to ensure all families in the community are served. By applying to Anchored Ministries, you confirm that you have not applied to any other Christmas assistance program.

You can sign up by completing the Participant Form. Once you submit your form, we will match your child with a sponsor.

You will need to provide basic details such as your child’s age, gender, clothing sizes, and a wish list of items they would like for Christmas.

Yes, the deadline to submit your Participant Form is typically during the last week in October. Specific details will be announced in the post for each year. Please be sure to register before the deadline so we can find a sponsor for your child.

Yes, if you have multiple children, you can submit wish lists for each of them.

The gift distribution event is typically the second weekend in December at Moving Communities to Christ Church at 4221 Main Street, Elverson, PA. We will provide you with more details about the specific date and time as the event approaches.

You may request a mix of practical items (such as clothing or school supplies) and fun items (like toys, books, or games). Please keep in mind that sponsors may have varying budgets, so it’s best to list items that are no more than $75 each.

If anything changes after you submit your form (e.g., you no longer need assistance or need to update information), please contact us.

While we encourage families to sign up by the deadline, you can contact us directly, and we will do our best to help if additional sponsors are available.

We understand that family situations can be complex. However, each child may only be registered once for the Christmas Program. We kindly ask that divorced or separated parents coordinate with one another to determine which parent will complete the application for their children. This helps ensure that all families in our community have the opportunity to be served fairly and with care.

You can sponsor a child by completing the Sponsor Form. Once submitted, we will pair you with a child and send you their wish list.

As a sponsor, you will purchase gifts for the child you are matched with based on the wish list provided. The gifts will be collected and distributed by Anchored Ministries at our one-day distribution event.

We recommend spending around $100-$125 per child, but there is no strict requirement. You are free to spend what you feel comfortable with while fulfilling some or all of the wish list.

Each child’s wish list will include a range of options, from clothing and essential items to toys, books, and games. You can choose items that best fit your budget and preferences.

Yes! If you would like to sponsor multiple children or a family, just let us know, and we’ll match you accordingly.

No. In fact, we would ask you not to. We will have volunteers available to assist parents with wrapping gifts at our Distribution event. This way parents know ahead of time what gifts they will be giving to their children and they get to enjoy wrapping them in preparation for Christmas.

Gift drop-offs will take place at the Anchored Ministries Building prior to the distribution event on any Monday – Thursday we are open between 9am and 12pm. We will also be open on evening hours the week before the event. More details will be on the Sponsorship page.

Absolutely! Sponsoring a child is a wonderful way to come together as a family, church, or business to spread joy and share the love of Christ.

If circumstances change and you are unable to fulfill your commitment, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can make alternate arrangements for the child.

Make Christmas special!

Make a Difference, One Act at a Time!

This Christmas, you can help bring joy and hope to children and families in the Twin Valley School District. Whether you volunteer your time, sponsor a child, host a toy drive, or make baked goods, every act of kindness makes a difference. Join us in creating a season filled with love, dignity, and celebration for our neighbors in need.