Giving Machines: A New Way To Donate Easily

Giving Machines are bright red vending machines that take charitable donations – image courtesy of Beneathtimp, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Giving Machines are bright red vending machines that let people donate essential items—like food, hygiene kits, livestock, or medical supplies—to charities instead of buying something for themselves. This is an amazingly simple way to donate. Let’s take a look.

What Are “Giving Machines?”

They originated in 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of the “Light the World” campaign by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Instead of dispensing snacks, they dispense donation cards representing items donated for people in need. Leveraging a vending machine is an easy way to help others, and the numbers back that up (globally from 2017-2024) – $48 million in total donations. These donations purchased:

11.4 million meals
25,000 boxes of produce
34 million water purification tablets
3.9 million vaccines
45,000 chickens
38,000 goats
16,800 pairs of shoes
21,000 items of winter clothing

The numbers are all the more impressive as the machines were not available in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Santa would be hard-pressed to beat these numbers! The machines are located in more than 126 cities across 30 U.S. states, 21 nations, and six continents worldwide. Here are some of the global charities connected to the machines:

The machines accept credit cards and mobile payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. They do not accept cash. Donors receive immediate confirmation via digital receipt.

The Catholic View

Every donation makes a positive impact on someone’s life. We are taught to take care of one another and to provide for the needs of the poor.

Matthew 25:31-40:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ ”

“Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'”

This is the Season of Giving

The Giving Machines are a great way to contribute on Giving Tuesday – image courtesy of Vecteezy.com.

By leveraging these machines, we honestly can say, “We did it for one of the least of my brothers.” The simplicity of these machines makes it easy to teach kids the value of giving and the awareness of people’s needs around the globe. Tomorrow, December 2, Giving Tuesday, would be a tremendous opportunity to try one of these machines near you and positively impact someone’s life! Let’s give tremendous credit to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the original idea of this device and for changing the landscape of giving worldwide.

Please share your thoughts about this article in the “Comments” section.

Peace

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