SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 10, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be sponsoring Light the World Giving Machines in 61 locations around the world during the 2023 holiday season.
The machines feature 1,200 goods and services available for donation, including meals, groceries, shelter, clothing, health care, education, bedding, hygiene kits, job and career training, crops and livestock. The available items were requested and screened by local and international nonprofit organizations, church officials said.
The theme of the Salt Lake City-headquartered church’s Light the World Christmas initiative this year is “Let Your Light Shine,” words Jesus Christ spoke to followers, LDS Church officials said in a news release.
In 2022, donations to Light the World Giving Machines provided 2.2 million meals; 31 million water purification tablets (enough to purify 3.9 million gallons of water); vaccinations for 517,000 children; 41,000 chickens; school supplies for 28,000 children; 25,000 ducks; safe shelter for 3,400 people; scholarships for 3,000 children and teens; shoes, socks and warm winter clothing for 35,000 children and adults; 3,800 beehives; and the protection of 459 women and children from further domestic violence or child abuse, according to the news release.
Since the initiative launched in 2017, 1.5 million people have donated more than $22 million, church officials said.
The LDS Church covers all program operational expenses, allowing participating nonprofits to receive 100% of the collected funds, according to the news release.
During the 2023 Christmas season, Light the World Giving Machines can be found in the following 61 locations in seven countries:
United States
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Dallas
- Dana Point, California
- Denver
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- Fort Worth (downtown), Texas
- Forth Worth (Grapevine), Texas
- Gila Valley, Arizona
- Gilbert, Arizona
- Henderson, Nevada
- Honolulu
- Houston
- Huntington Beach, California
- Indianapolis
- Kaneohe, Hawaii
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Laie, Hawaii
- Las Vegas (downtown Summerlin)
- Modesto, California
- Nashville, Tennessee
- New York City (Times Square)
- New York City (Church of Our Savior, 59th Avenue)
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Orem
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Portland, Oregon
- Prescott, Arizona
- Richmond, Virginia
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- Seattle
- Snowflake, Arizona
- St. Louis
- Tucson, Arizona
- Washington, D.C.
Australia
- Brisbane
- Melbourne
- Perth
- Sydney
Canada
- Calgary
- Toronto
Guatemala
- Cobán
- Guatemala City
- Quetzaltenango
Mexico
- Aragon
- Cuernavaca
- Pachuca
- Puebla
- Toluca
- Tula
New Zealand
- Auckland
Philippines
- Cebu City
- Manila
Participating global nonprofits
- African Girls Hope Foundation
- American Red Cross
- Care USA
- Care Canada
- Church World Service
- iDE
- Lifting Hands International
- Mentors International
- UNICEF Australia
- UNICEF Canada
- UNICEF USA
- WaterAid
Those unable to visit a physical machine can participate at GivingMachine.org beginning Monday, Nov. 13.
