Light On The Hill

What Light On The Hill does

Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 83-3263624) operating from a 60+ acre campus in Kerrville, Texas, under the supervision of First United Methodist Church of Kerrville. Originally donated in 1923 as the Methodist Encampment retreat center, the organization was repurposed in 2019 under Director Beth Palmer into a community outreach hub now serving Kerr County and the surrounding six-county Texas Hill Country (a 60-75 mile service radius). Its core programs include the Mustard Seed Food Pantry and Mega Drive-Thru Pantry (distributing 30,000-40,000+ pounds per mega event to roughly 350 families), spiritual and pastoral retreats (Walk to Emmaus, youth and women's retreats), Camp Wesley children and youth camps, parenting and GED educational programs, community health navigation through a Wesley Nurse and community health workers, New Dawn Transitional Housing, and disaster response services.

The business model is a faith-based nonprofit operating with approximately 8 identified paid staff and 250+ active volunteers. Revenue is derived from three streams: tax-deductible donations from individuals, churches, and organizations; grants from institutional funders including Methodist Healthcare Ministries, DASH/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, H.E. Butt Foundation, Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, and H-E-B; and facility rentals of climate-controlled lodging (Floyd Curl Lodge, Heritage Hill), a dining hall for 200-250, worship centers for 300+, and recreation facilities. All direct services to beneficiaries (food relief, resource connections, education, disaster response) are provided free of charge. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on a Weebly website, Constant Contact newsletters, and partner-coordinated distribution channels including the San Antonio Food Bank.

Name

Light On The Hill

Legal name

Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley

Website

https://lightonthehillkerrville.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Light on the Hill is a 501(c)(3) community outreach nonprofit on a 60+ acre Kerrville, Texas campus, delivering free food relief, spiritual retreats, youth camps, community health navigation, transitional housing, and disaster response across six Hill Country counties through donations, grants, and facility rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Outreach Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (62421), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

Keywords

• Community outreach services
• Food pantry assistance
• Spiritual retreat facilities
• Disaster response services
• Youth camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kerrville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Light on the Hill relies on tax-deductible donations from individuals, churches, and organizations to fund operations. The organization is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN: 83-3263624) that accepts donations through its website and at Kerrville First United Methodist Church.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: The organization receives grant funding from Methodist Healthcare Ministries (Community Impact Grant), DASH Community Impact Cohorts (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), H.E. Butt Foundation, and other funders to support specific programs including food relief, community health workers, and Pathways to Health & Wholeness initiatives.
3. Facility Rental and Retreat Services: Meeting spaces, lodging, dining facilities, and chapel can be rented for smaller retreats, gatherings, and meetings. The modern dining hall accommodates 200-250 people; large indoor worship center holds 300+; outdoor worship area seats 200+.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Kerrville, Texas, that delivers community-based support and outreach services. Its core offerings include food relief through mega drive-thru pantries and the Mustard Seed Food Program, community resource connections (KERRKIND directory), spiritual and pastoral retreats, children and youth camps (Camp Wesley), educational programs (GED, parenting), disaster response and recovery (including a Beacon of Hope Kitchen with Mercy Chefs), and facility/lodging rentals on its 60+ acre Mount Wesley campus. The organization serves the greater Kerrville and Texas Hill Country region through 250+ volunteers and partnerships with Methodist Healthcare Ministries, the San Antonio Food Bank, and other local nonprofits.

Product overview

Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley is a community nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected community outreach services and programs. The organization operates primarily through its Mustard Seed Food Program (mega drive-thru pantries and weekly food distribution), resource connection services via the KERRKIND directory, spiritual retreat facilities and programs (including Walk to Emmaus), children and youth camps (Camp Wesley), educational programs (GED and parenting), and disaster relief services. The organization also provides facility rentals including lodging/cabins and recreation facilities (walking trails, pool, low ropes course, chapel) on its 60+ acre campus in Kerrville, Texas. These programs work together to serve the community through food relief, resources, education, spiritual development, and emergency response.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mustard Seed Food Pantry: Food relief ministry providing food assistance to the community
• Hub of Hope
• Camp Wesley
• New Dawn Transitional Housing
• Food4Kids
• The Table
• Emmaus Walks

Products and services

• Food Relief & Pantry (Mega Drive Thru Pantry & Mustard Seed Food Program) Provides food assistance through mega drive-thru pantries and the Mustard Seed Food Program, distributing food to families in need in the Kerrville community.
• Resource Connections Connects community members with resources and support services through the KERRKIND directory and inter-agency networking.
• Spiritual & Pastoral Retreats Hosts adult spiritual retreats, Walk to Emmaus programs, and other faith-based renewal events at the Mount Wesley campus.
• Children & Youth Camps (Camp Wesley) Summer camps and youth programs for children including Camp Wesley and other kids/youth camps.
• Educational Programs Parenting and GED educational programs and services for the community.
• Outreach Center & Facilities Provides gathering spaces, recreational areas, spiritual facilities, and volunteer opportunities for community use and outreach programs.
• Lodging & Cabins Climate-controlled facilities with cabin-style guest rooms available for booked events, meetings, spiritual retreats, kids camps, and community outreach programs. Includes Floyd Curl Lodge, Heritage Hill, and Studios.
• Recreation Facilities Outdoor activities including walking trails, low ropes course, swimming, sand volleyball, and chapel facilities on the 60+ acre campus.
• Disaster Relief Services Flood support and recovery services including partnership with Mercy Chefs for 'Beacon of Hope Kitchen', KerrTogether coordination, and Emergency Response Team (ERT) operations.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Mercy ChefscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2025Mercy Chefs partnered with Light on the Hill to establish a 'Beacon of Hope Kitchen' as part of long-term disaster relief efforts in Texas Hill Country following floods. The new kitchen at Light on the Hill expands Mercy Chefs' capacity to provide hot, chef-prepared meals to flood survivors, first responders, and volunteers.
• San Antonio Food BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSan Antonio Food Bank provides bulk food supplies for Light on the Hill's Mega Food Pantry and Mustard Seed distribution programs. Typically provides 30,000-40,000+ pounds of food per mega event, compared to the organization's usual 12,000 pounds monthly distribution.
• KerrTogether (Hill Country Strong)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKerrTogether is a united organization of Kerr Economic Development Corporation, City of Kerrville, Kerr County, Kerrville Public Utility Board, Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau, and West Kerr Chamber of Commerce coordinating flood disaster information and resources. Beth Palmer attends coordination meetings.
• REBUILD KERRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerREBUILD KERR collaborates with Light on the Hill's disaster case management center. Disaster case managers have workspace at Light on the Hill to help flood survivors on their rebuild journey.
• KERRKIND (Kerr County Inter-Agency Directory)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKERRKIND is a vast listing of available resources, phone numbers, and contact details for Kerr County. Primary categories include emergency, children/youth, missionary, clothing, counseling, food assistance, housing, medical, transportation, veterans, and more.
• Kerr County SchoolssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local schools including Nimitz Elementary for Food4Kids weekend food program serving nearly 60 students. Other community churches have adopted local schools to provide food assistance.
• Morning Rotary Club of KerrvillesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorning Rotary Club partners with Mustard Seed Pantry, providing donations including over 1,200 pounds of venison for food distribution.
• H-E-BsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerH-E-B partnered through grant funding to gift $2,250 worth of turkeys for Mustard Seed Food Pantry Thanksgiving baskets, enabling distribution to 139 families.
• Peterson Regional Medical CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeterson Regional Medical Center Care Coordination supports Thanksgiving outreach efforts at Light on the Hill, contributing to community food relief programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National faith-based social services network providing food, housing, disaster relief, and health-related assistance. Directly comparable service mix to Light on the Hill (food pantry, disaster response, community resources) but operates at national scale and through parish networks.
• Samaritan's Purse: International faith-based relief organization with extensive disaster response operations, including home rebuilding teams. Directly comparable to LOTH's ERT flood rebuild work and disaster case management, though at much greater scale.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Faith-affiliated nonprofit focused on housing and disaster recovery rebuilds. Directly comparable to LOTH's REBUILD KERR partnership and ERT home repair work for flood survivors, though operating at global scale.
• Salvation Army: Large national faith-based social services organization offering food assistance, disaster relief, and community outreach. Operates in the same broad category with similar faith-based, community-services DNA but at vastly greater scale and geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• San Antonio Food Bank: Regional food bank supplying bulk food to Light on the Hill's mega food drives and Mustard Seed pantry. Operates the same food-relief-to-communities model at much larger scale in the same Texas geography, making it a directly comparable peer and primary supplier.
• Convoy of Hope: Faith-based humanitarian organization providing disaster relief, food distribution, and community outreach. Comparable faith-driven model with comparable disaster response and food relief programming; a relevant peer for LOTH's growing disaster-response positioning.
• Methodist Healthcare Ministries: Faith-based (Methodist) nonprofit providing community health services, including the Wesley Nurse program that LOTH hosts. Operates a similar model of combining grant funding, community health workers, and Methodist-affiliated outreach to uninsured and underinsured populations in South Texas.
• Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries: Faith-based food assistance nonprofit serving the Kerrville and Hill Country region. Operates the same free mobile and on-site food pantry model in the same geography, making it the closest geographic and service-line peer to Light on the Hill's Mustard Seed program.
• Mobile Loaves and Fishes: Austin-based faith-based nonprofit serving the homeless and food-insecure through mobile food distribution and Community First Village. Operates a similar faith-driven community services model and is a recognized reference point for LOTH staff (Health Navigator Grace Carlson interned there).
• Mercy Chefs: Faith-based disaster relief organization providing chef-prepared meals to survivors and first responders. Direct partner of Light on the Hill via the Beacon of Hope Kitchen, and operates a comparable faith-driven community outreach model targeting disaster-affected populations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Light On The Hill