Imagine sharing holiday cheer worldwide by donating a chicken, school books, or a community well from a vending machine! You can! Giving Machines, our family’s favorite holiday vending machines benefiting local and global charities, are back for their 7th season.
Giving Machines
Giving Machines make charitable giving accessible and tangible for each member of the family by displaying local and global charity needs, like the ones pictured here:
Each item has a dollar amount on its card. You make the purchase, just like buying a snack. The item falls to the base of the Giving Machine ready to be processed. You can purchase any number of options. Each of the requested items are from vetted charities and because all operational costs are covered, including credit card fees, 100% of the proceeds go to the charitable cause you select.
At the Giving Machine in Orem, Utah, my nephews and nieces chose to donate two chickens.
The list of cities with a Giving Machine is growing!
Online Giving Options
Those of us without a Giving Machine in our city can still participate by clicking on a charitable cause online at:
Giving Machines page — scroll down to Charitable Causes
Some Fun Giving Machine Facts
According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who provides each Giving Machine and covers the operational costs,
$22 million in donations have been generated since 2017. Examples of total items purchased include more than:
• 250,000 chickens
• 500,000 articles of clothing (coats, gloves, etc.)
• 10 million meals
• 2,600 goats
• 500,000 diapersIn 2022, Giving Machines were in 22 U.S. cities, along with six international cities, generating donations for 125 local and global charities. Worldwide, Giving Machines generated $6.2 million in donations in 2022 via 90,000 unique transactions.
The 370+ national and global charities participating in 2023 include:
- UNICEF
- American Red Cross
- Care
- Church World Services
- WaterAid
- Mentor’s International
- African Girls Hope
- Lifting Hand’s International
- IDE Global
Quiet Acts of Service to the Lord
For me one of the most compelling discourses Jesus made before His crucifixion concerned how we/I view others.
I was hungry, you fed me. Thirsty, you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, you took me in. Naked/clothed. Sick/visited. Imprisoned/visited.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee , or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have it unto one of the of these my , ye have done it unto me.
So for me, each Giving Machine is a chance to honor Jesus Christ by acknowledging strangers who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and variously imprisoned. In our fast-paced world, I’m so grateful for such a simple, easy, and quiet way to recognize that I am part of a global community of God’s children and give.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In