‘Giving Machine’ returns to Queen Creek for the holiday season

The Light the World Giving Machine returns to Queen Creek later this week, giving three area charities an opportunity to provide more items for residents in need.

Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Giving Machines will be set up in eight locations around the state. For the second year, Queen Creek will host a machine.

Described by organizers as a “vending machine in reverse,” people can buy goods and services identified by the nonprofits chosen to be included as a “vendor.”

“It’s definitely more fun, especially to bring kids to, because there are several different items right in front of them and they can choose from the different charities. They can choose different dollar amounts. It ranges from $5 all the way up to $200,” said Light the World Giving Machine City Lead Karen Wold.

The machines can also provide an eye-opening lesson to youth.

“I talked to one young man who approached the machine and I heard him ask the question to his dad, ’Are there people who don’t have socks?’ Like he was perplexed. He was like how is this possible? Somebody needs socks they don’t have socks,” said Light the World Giving Machine City Lead Jeff Wold.

This year, the area nonprofits benefiting from the Giving Machine are Control Alt Delete, Compassion Connect and the Superstition Community Food Bank.

Control Alt Delete provides services for domestic abuse victims throughout the Valley. Compassion Connect primarily works to provide health care services through local churches. The Superstition Community Food Bank provides meals and other essentials to needy families in Apache Junction and east Mesa.

Alicia Barela, community relations and care center director at Compassion Connect, said the organization was offered a spot in the first Queen Creek Giving Machine last year, but wasn’t ready to proceed.

“I think I was overwhelmed with the idea,” she said. “I watched how it went last year for everybody, and I talked to people and they just over-the-moon praised how wonderfully organized it was. So, when they reached out again this year, I was like, ‘Absolutely.’”

Compassion Connect will allow visitors to the machine to purchase eyeglasses, new socks and underwear, family hygiene kits, utility assistance, and health care services. Depending on the items, donations can range from $10 to $100.

The Superstition Community Food Bank’s inclusion in the machine this year comes at an opportune time. The organization recently was told by Pinal County, which currently provides the food bank’s offices in Apache Junction, that it has five years to vacate the building it has been operating out of for 33 years.

“We’re in a little bit of a different situation now because every dollar is going to help,” said Erik Arriola, executive director of the Superstition Community Food Bank. “If this money helps subsidize the money we would normally spend on food, some of the money that we normally spend on food can be put toward finding a new location for the food bank to move to.”

The church began the Giving Machine program in 2017, with the first in the Valley location in Gilbert, where it operates every holiday season.

Other Arizona locations hosting a Giving Machine this year are Show Low, Snowflake, Flagstaff, Gila Valley, Prescott and the Phoenix-Scottsdale area.
Last year in Queen Creek alone, the Giving Machine logged an estimated 12,000 visitors, recorded 2,706 transactions and generated donations of 176,449 items.

Arriola and Balera acknowledge there’s more need this year and purse strings are getting tighter, but any help is welcome.

“Anything’s a win. Just our name getting out there,” Arriola said. “Somebody could walk (by the machine) and be like, ‘Hey, I could use that help too.’ Or somebody sees that these are services provided and they want to volunteer here. Those are all wins. Just being in it for the exposure alone also is huge.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covers all operating expenses so participating nonprofit organizations receive 100% of every donation. Since its launch in 2017, the initiative has generated approximately $70 million in donations worldwide.

“The whole purpose of these is to help people to have an easy way to experience the joy that comes from serving their neighbor, helping their neighbor, thinking about the needs of others,” Jeff Wold said.

The Queen Creek Giving Machine will be available Nov. 13 through Dec. 6 at Pecan Lake Entertainment, 25004 S. 206th St. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, with special Thanksgiving hours of 3-9 p.m.

Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org. Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.