Campus Martius in Detroit Selected to Host Giving Machines During Holidays
The Giving Machine, the "vending machine" that works in reverse by allowing users to pay for a variety of much-needed items via donations to local and global charities, will be available for the first time to Michiganders, starting on Nov. 14 at Campus Martius where they will remain through Dec. 8.
Giving Machines, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, provide an instant act of service for people looking to help those in their community and around the world. Visitors can make donations by purchasing items ranging in price from $5 to $250. These include clothing, hygiene items, meals, educational supplies, livestock, emergency shelter, and more.
The initiative at this time of the year will help Michiganders assist people in need. A study found that about 61 percent of Americans feel more motivated to donate to charity during the holidays. Another study found that 68 percent of donors prioritize charities related to food, shelter, and health care during the holiday season.
"We are called to care for those in need and to be a light to the world," says Jeff Day, a stake president in metro Detroit for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "We strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ by loving others as He loves each of us. Weâ€TMre excited to come together with diverse faith communities to demonstrate this love."
Day serves alongside five other stake presidents in metro Detroit, representing more than 20,000 members and 40 southeast Michigan community congregations.
During the 2023 holiday season alone, approximately 600,000 individuals visited Giving Machines in Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States, contributing $10.4 million in donations.
The donations resulted in more than 2 million meals to feed the hungry, 11,000 backpacks or boxes of school supplies, more than 17,000 goats, 125,000 chickens, 2,100 beehives, 1,500 pigs, and 1,400 sheep providing families with long-term nutrition and income potential.
Since the Giving Machines first launched in 2017, more than $32 million has been collected.
Detroit-area nonprofit beneficiaries this year include:
