One of the most innovative ways to give back during the holidays has resulted in a donation of $352,274, which will help Utah Food Bank provide the equivalent of 1.3 million meals for the 374,000 Utahns who face hunger. This is one of the largest single donations Utah Food Bank has ever received resulting from individuals in the community. The annual Light the World Giving Machines campaign was hosted at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building during the holidays for the third year running. Individuals were able to select from a variety of non-profits and items, all through a vending machine designed to give back to those who need it most, rather than the individual purchasing the item. At the Salt Lake City location, $1.8 million was donated through these machines, while the total was $6.3 million from their 10 locations globally.
This year, 700,000 holiday visitors were empowered to donate to a variety of non-profit organizations through these vending machines. Choices included purchasing Mac & Cheese, groceries for a senior, feeding a family for a month, and more. 100% of the public’s donations directly benefited the recipient organizations, thanks to Latter-day Saint Charities facilitating the partnership and covering administrative costs. This donation represents the total amount that individuals donated to Utah Food Bank through the Giving Machines.
This year’s donation brought the three-year total to a remarkable 2.2 million Meals provided through this effort. We can’t thank the donors, volunteers and everyone involved in making this possible enough!
