{"id":14708,"date":"2023-11-28T09:48:40","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T14:48:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/?p=14708"},"modified":"2023-11-28T09:48:40","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T14:48:40","slug":"light-the-world-giving-machines-are-back-for-the-2023-giving-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2023\/11\/light-the-world-giving-machines-are-back-for-the-2023-giving-season.html","title":{"rendered":"Light the World Giving Machines Are Back For the 2023 Giving Season"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Church Newsroom\/YouTube.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Christmas season is the perfect time to spread love and light, and a meaningful way to do so is through one of many Light the World Giving Machines. Giving Machines are a unique way to spread love and light either in your community or a faraway country. In collaboration with numerous charitable organizations, the Giving Machines campaign is now in its seventh season and makes charitable giving as easy as buying a candy bar or soda.<\/p>\n

Holiday givers can use the vending machines to purchase items ranging from chickens and goats, blankets, hygiene kits or solar lamps to a hot meal for someone in need, polio vaccines, school desks or even a community well. This season, the red Giving Machines are located in 41 U.S. cities, an increase from 22 in 2022, and 14 international locations. The theme of this year\u2019s Light the World Christmas initiative is \u201cLet Your Light Shine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elder Buckner, with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, \u201cWe invite you also to recognize the power of this globally, as we will see Giving Machines in the Philippines and Mexico, Australia, Canada, and around the globe.\u201d He added that at a time when the \u201cworld desperately needs light,\u201d the combined efforts of the Giving Machines bring people together. He said, \u201cWe hope that you will take the simplicity of a machine that we all are familiar with and embrace not only the opportunity to participate but invite others to join in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Top leaders from 10 national or international charities like UNICEF,\u00a0American Red Cross,\u00a0CARE,\u00a0WaterAid,\u00a0International Development Enterprises,\u00a0Church World Service,\u00a0African Girls Hope Foundation,\u00a0Mentors International,\u00a0Lifting Hands International\u00a0and\u00a0Catholic Charities, offered brief remarks before \u201cunwrapping\u201d the machines and making them available for charitable giving.<\/p>\n

Michael J. Nyenhuis, president and CEO of UNICEF USA, said at a time of great division, \u201cIn our country and the world, this is an effort that is really pulling people together.\u201d Emily Haile, director of marketing and engagement for WaterAid America, said the Giving Machines make giving fun and easy. \u201cI think sometimes people don\u2019t know where to give or how to give or how much to give. And this is something you can do with your whole family.\u201d<\/p>\n