Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Hunt.
Hi Abigail, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Christmas Morning started with a simple desire to give back close to home. Each holiday season, my husband and I would look for a local family we could support, but we often struggled to find a way to connect directly with someone in need. We reached out to churches, schools, and other organizations, but as two individuals simply asking, “Is there a family we can help?” it was understandably difficult to make those connections.
We realized there was a gap: there were families in our own community who could use a little extra support, and there were people like us who genuinely wanted to help them, but there wasn’t always an easy way to bring the two together.
So, we created Christmas Morning to be that bridge.
Today, we accept nominations for local families who may need help making the holidays a little brighter, whether that means gifts for their children, groceries, household essentials, or other necessities. We then connect those needs with generous “angel” donors who are looking for a meaningful way to give back locally. We also partner with churches, local schools, Children and Youth Services, and other community organizations to reach families who may otherwise fall through the cracks.
At its heart, Christmas Morning is still rooted in the same idea that started it all: neighbors helping neighbors, and making sure generosity within our community has an impact right here at home.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t necessarily call it a smooth road, but I would absolutely call it a worthwhile one. There has been so much for us to learn along the way about what it actually means to run a nonprofit. We’ve had to figure out everything from building and managing a board to filing taxes, fundraising, and all of the behind-the-scenes administrative work that comes with running an organization.
And we’ve learned most of it on the fly, all while maintaining our regular 9-to-5 jobs and raising a toddler!
There have definitely been late nights spent answering emails, filling out paperwork, and working through a never-ending to-do list after our son goes to bed. But every challenge has taught us something, and I wouldn’t trade those late nights for anything. At the end of the day, we know that work translates into real gifts, groceries, essentials, and support for families right here in our community. Knowing we’re making a tangible difference in someone’s life makes every bit of it worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Christmas Morning?
Christmas Morning is a local nonprofit built around a simple belief: everyone deserves to experience a little joy during the holiday season. We support families in our community who may be going through a difficult season by helping provide children’s gifts, groceries, household essentials, and other necessities that can make the holidays feel a little lighter.
What makes Christmas Morning unique is how deeply local and personal our work is. Families can be nominated by friends, neighbors, teachers, churches, social service organizations, or others who recognize that they could use some extra support. We then connect those needs with “angel” donors who want to give back and know that their generosity is making a difference for a family right here in their own community. We also work directly with local schools, churches, Children and Youth Services, and other community partners to identify and support families.
We’ve always wanted Christmas Morning to feel like neighbors helping neighbors rather than simply an exchange of donations. We try to meet families where they are and respond to what they actually need. Sometimes that’s making sure there are presents under the tree, and sometimes it’s groceries in the refrigerator, warm clothing, or household essentials.
What I’m most proud of is the community that has grown around our mission. Christmas Morning may have started with my husband and me wanting to help one family during the holidays, but it has become so much bigger than the two of us. Every year, local businesses, organizations, volunteers, and individual donors step up and remind us just how generous this community is.
More than anything, I want people to know that you don’t have to make a huge donation or do something extraordinary to make a meaningful difference. Christmas Morning exists because there are people who need a little help and people who want to help—we simply bring them together.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I don’t know that I’ve ever considered myself a huge risk-taker, but starting Christmas Morning has taught me that sometimes the biggest risk is simply being willing to start before you have everything figured out.
When my husband and I started the organization, we didn’t have backgrounds in nonprofit management. We didn’t know if people would nominate families, if donors would trust us enough to support our mission, or if our idea would grow beyond the two of us helping a handful of families. We just knew there was a need in our community and felt strongly enough about it to give it a try.
There is always some vulnerability in putting an idea out into the world and asking other people to believe in it, too. Over the years, we’ve learned to be comfortable figuring things out as we go, asking for help when we need it, and taking chances on new fundraisers, partnerships, and ways to grow our impact.
For me, taking a risk doesn’t necessarily mean making a huge leap without thinking it through. Sometimes it means saying yes to something that feels a little outside of your comfort zone because you believe the potential impact is worth it. Christmas Morning has been one of those “yeses,” and I’m incredibly grateful we took the chance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.christmasmorning.gifts
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christmasmorning.gifts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasMorningMagic
