First time in Alaska for unique fundraising project
The Light the World Giving Machine raises funds for nonprofit and charity programs and will be at the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Nov. 22 to Dec. 11, and at the Dimond Center in Anchorage, Dec. 13-31.
The Light the World Giving Machine looks like your regular vending machine, but promises much more than snacks.
For the first time ever, the Light the World Giving Machine is coming to Alaska. Disguised as a vending machine, it dispenses cheer by simply choosing one of the local non-profit organizations in the machine and depositing money.
Actually, there will be two machines.
"In case one goes down, you know electronics, and it can allow two people to donate at the same time. The lines can get long," said Fairbanks Senior Center Co-Director Angela Jones.
This year for the 2024 holiday season, there will be machines at 108 locations worldwide, she said. In Alaska, the machines will be at the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Nov. 22 to Dec. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., then at Dimond Center Mall in Anchorage, Dec. 13-31, during mall hours.
"Each machine has one row of five cards the size of a bag of potato chips," Jones said. "Each location will have five local nonprofit organizations represented with specific items they need this year. There will also be two global nonprofit organizations represented in each location.
The non-profits in Fairbanks are the Fairbanks Senior Center, Fairbanks Food Bank, Breast Cancer detection Center of Alaska, Rescue Center for Parents and Children, and Armed Services YMCA of Alaska.
In Anchorage, the organizations are Challenge Alaska, Downtown Hope Center, Love INC. of Kenai Peninsula, Lutheran Social Services, and Catholic Social Services.
The bottom row is for the international non-profit organizations iDE Global International Development Enterprises and UNICEF USA.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covers all operational costs for the Light the World Giving Machine initiative. Individual credit card transaction fees are covered by the donor or the Church, so participating nonprofit organizations receive 100 percent of every donation.
"For instance, if you donate $7 to the Fairbanks Senior Center, that's one Meals on Wheels lunch for a senior," Jones said.
Last year it was decided to test mobile routes splitting the time between locations, and the project found that the same amount of donations occurred whether the machine was stationary for six weeks, or split time with another community on the route.
Jones has high hopes that Alaskans will be generous.
"We know that Alaskans like to donate to Alaskans," she said.
