The red vending machines, stationed last year in 10 U.S. cities, allow a person to choose from a variety of items (such as clothing, meals, clean water and livestock) that will later be distributed to those in need by various charities. A reception was held by Latter-day Saint Charities and five global partners to initiate distribution in New York City on March 9, 2022.
SALT LAKE CITY — Officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints report $5.8 million was donated during the Light the World Giving Campaign. Some 300,000 people throughout the United States reportedly visited one of the giving machines during the holiday initiative, now in its fifth year.
The red vending machines, stationed in Salt Lake and 9 other cities around the country, allowed people to purchase items (such as clothing, meals, clean water and livestock) that is distributed to those in need by various charities.
Funds are being distributed to 44 charities in the United States and five global agencies.
Rachel Steinberg, UNICEF managing director for global cause partnerships, said it’s inspiring to see that even when people are going through hard times over the last two years, they choose to give something back to somebody else who they’ve never met.
“We are really, really touched by the impact that we are going to see from the Giving Machines, with the distribution of polio vaccines,” said Steinberg. “Thanks to the support from the Giving Machines this year, we’ll actually able to distribute over 800,000 polio vaccines and that is so incredibly important, especially two years into the pandemic, where we’ve seen that routine immunization services have been disrupted for children around the world.”
Lacey Stone of USA for UNHCR said the purchased goods will be a boon to many of the more than 82 million refugees around the world, providing them with core relief items.
“These are things like blankets,” said Stone. “These are things solar lanterns, so that the power doesn’t have to go out at night. These are things like tents and shelter that will truly provide these incredibly needed items for folks on the ground.”
The donations will also provide critical aid to children hit hard by the pandemic by offering education, routine immunizations and healthy meals.
Latter-day Saint Charities report some popular items purchased in 2021 were:
- Essential clothing for nearly 20,000 children
- Chickens for more than 80,000 families (these animals provide long-term nutrition and income)
- Over 10,000 menstrual care kits to keep girls in school
- More than 1.7 million meals and 14,000 boxes of fresh produce to feed the hungry
will@cvradio.com