An Oklahoma City resident paid for a counseling session for a woman she never met, while another made multiple donations to seven different nonprofits — all through special vending machines at a local park.
The two made their donations at one of three Light the World Giving Machines at Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7, courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. candy making machines
"As you look at vending machines, most vending machines vend snacks or some kind of drink, but this vending machine is a vending machine of hope, where we can bring peace and hope to people's lives," said Elder Mark Cluff, a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regional leader.
More:These new vending machines let you buy food, supplies for charities and those in need
Through Jan. 5, visitors to the park may donate to five local nonprofits — Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, ReMerge, Infant Crisis Services, Pivot and NewView Oklahoma — plus two global charities — Church World Service and WaterAid — by swiping their credit card at one of the vending machines. The selected donation will be delivered to the corresponding nonprofit.
Guests may pick from 30 different needs, such as $10 for underwear and socks for someone being served by Pivot, or $100 to the Regional Food Bank for a year of meals and snacks for a student. Prices for individual items range from $5 to $200.
Kylie Simpson said she chose to make a donation to ReMerge, a diversion program that helps mothers and pregnant women avoid incarceration through treatment and rehabilitation.
Steve Raybourn chose to donate to all of the organizations featured in the machines, which cost $1,885.
"All of these agencies are very good and very important to Oklahoma City and the ones that do the worldwide work, as well," he said. "But, the Oklahoma City ones, especially, were a big calling for me on what they do and the benefits that they do for the women and the young people. This is a great opportunity to be down here and support Oklahoma City."
The customized vending machines are appearing in more than 100 cities on five continents this year, courtesy of the Latter-day Saints. Cluff said the machines will be back in Oklahoma City next year, so they will become an annual tradition.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsors the Light the World Giving Machines initiative and covers all operational costs. The faith group's support ensures that participating nonprofit organizations receive 100% of every donation.
Cluff, who oversees Latter-day Saints congregations across Oklahoma and parts of Texas and Kansas, spoke at a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Giving Machines. He said giving is a way that Latter-day Saints feel the hope, peace, love and joy of the Christmas season.
"One of our church apostles once described hope as the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances," Cluff said. "It pierces the darkness with the brilliant dawn. Your gift today is going to reach someone in a moment of hardship and darkness. ... It almost seems silly that a vending machine can be a vehicle of light, but we have seen this to be true."
Others who made remarks included Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, and Suzy and William Sultemeier, Oklahoma City Giving Machine team leaders. The Ambassador's Concert Choir performed music designed to inspire the crowd.
Holt was given the first opportunity to make a donation through a Giving Maching. He thanked the Latter-day Saints for bringing the machines to Oklahoma City.
The mayor said the customized machines were a "mechanism to show what giving looks like and how good it can feel, especially in times like this."
"I think fundamentally, that's what this represents," Holt said. "It's an opportunity to model the power of giving."
Several leaders connected to the nonprofit beneficiaries said they were excited to see the machines and how well people responded to them.
One of them was Miki Farris, executive director of Infant Crisis Services, an organization that provides food, formula and diapers to babies and toddlers in crisis.
"I am beyond blown away by this," she said.
"For us, at Infant Crisis, it's a blessing, a real blessing. There are lots of babies and toddlers in our state in need, and this is a way that people can give and include their children in the giving, and enjoy the park."
The Rev. Rebekah Belase, a United Methodist minister serving as senior director of funds development for Church World Service, said she was excited to see the Giving Machines in her home state because Church World Service has been a global charity beneficiary of the machines in other places since 2019. Church World Service is a faith-based organization dedicated to transforming communities around the world by responding to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster.
She said thousands of chickens have been given to families in need through the Giving Machines.
"Buy one chicken, a family is changed, a whole community is changed, girls are going to school and lives are being changed," she said.
automatic cotton candy machine For directions to the machines, a list of items available to donate, profiles of each organization and special events planned at the Giving Machines, go to http://www.GivingMachineOKC.org. Information is also available on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/givingmachineokc/,and Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/givingmachineokc .