When you’re facing financial hardship, the holidays can feel overwhelming. The pressure to provide gifts, prepare a special meal, and maintain traditions for your children adds weight to an already difficult situation.
This year, more than 200 families in Midlothian walked into the Ellis County Youth Expo Center carrying that weight and left with something lighter: bags of gifts, ingredients for a Christmas dinner, and kits to decorate cookies with their kids.
Manna House, a community outreach organization serving Midlothian residents, wrapped up its 2025 Angel Tree program with significant support from the Huffines Foundation, which served as the Holiday Sponsor with a $25,000 contribution.
That sponsorship ensured every family receiving Angel Tree gifts also went home with a complete Christmas meal and a “Cookies for Santa” kit. For families already stretched thin, it meant they could still gather around the table for a holiday meal and enjoy a festive tradition with their children.
“Jesus came to give us all hope and inspiration, and that’s exactly what Manna House does,” said Philip Huffines, explaining why the Foundation chose to support the program. The work happening at Manna House reflects the kind of community impact the Foundation is committed to backing.
The December 20 distribution event brought together an impressive network of community support. More than 6,000 gifts, donated by local community members, were organized and distributed by a team of 300 volunteers who contributed around 1,200 hours of service.
Huffines Foundation volunteers joined the Manna House team at wrapping stations, helped parents organize their gifts, and pitched in wherever extra hands were needed. Working alongside staff and other volunteers, they helped create a positive and supportive experience for families picking up their gifts.
The addition of holiday meal ingredients and 750 cookie decorating kits meant families had more than presents to unwrap. They had the makings of memories: a dinner together, an evening decorating cookies, a moment of normalcy during a season that can feel anything but normal when money is tight.
“With the assistance of the Foundation, Manna House can provide more than a meal,” said Norma Belcher, Executive Director of Manna House. The partnership helped ease the burden for parents and brought extra joy to children who might not have expected it.
Throughout the year, Manna House assists families experiencing financial hardship or unexpected challenges. Programs like Angel Tree offer both practical support and stability during a season that can be especially difficult for many households.
The Huffines Foundation focuses much of its work on expanding STEM education and financial literacy for Texas students, but the team also looks for ways to support the well-being of families in the communities where they live and work. Manna House shared that this support felt like an investment not only in the event itself, but in the long-term health of the Midlothian community.
For the 200 families served this year, the impact was immediate and tangible: gifts under the tree, food on the table, and the simple pleasure of decorating cookies together. Sometimes community support looks like educational programs and scholarships. Sometimes it looks like making sure no family has to choose between presents and dinner.
This year in Midlothian, 200 families didn’t have to make that choice.
Support Manna House: Community members can make monetary contributions at mannahouseoutreach.org/donate or volunteer at the food pantry or Heaven’s Attic. Corporate organizations, churches, and school groups can also get involved at mannahouseoutreach.org/get-involved.
About Manna House: Manna House is a community outreach organization created to meet the needs of Midlothian residents by offering food pantry services and coordinating with outreach programs to support the community.
About Huffines Foundation: The Huffines Foundation, founded by Phillip and Holly Huffines, supports Texas students by funding access to strong educational resources and innovative learning opportunities. The Foundation partners with schools and local community organizations to improve student outcomes and expand programs that prepare learners for future academic and career success. Learn more at HuffinesFoundation.org.