Birmingham shoppers can make a difference at the Light the World Giving Machine at the Riverchase Galleria
The Light the World Giving Machine, at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover through Jan. 3, gives Birmingham-area shoppers the opportunity to donate to local as well as global charities. (Allison Westlake / Alabama News Center)
This holiday season, the Light the World Giving Machine returns to Birmingham, giving shoppers a chance to give back in a meaningful way. Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the world-famous Light the World Giving Machine is a vending machine that offers goods and services that can be purchased for local and global charities.
Having arrived Dec. 16, this year’s Light the World Giving Machine will be at the Riverchase Galleria near Macy’s until Jan. 3.
More than 500 local and international nonprofit organizations will participate in this year’s Giving Machine initiative. Five local nonprofit organizations are benefiting from the Birmingham Giving Machine this year: Better Basics, Birmingham Promise, Down Syndrome Alabama, First Light Women’s Shelter and Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Shoppers can also give to several global charities through the Giving Machine.
Items for purchase range in price and feature goods and services that go directly to the organizations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints partners with organizations to identify the items they need. For example, Better Basics items range from $5 to $100 and include book purchases and resources to support the organization’s skilled teachers and programs.
“We are very grateful to have been selected to join with local nonprofits for this year’s Light the World Giving Machine. These gifts will enable us to provide essential education resources to our community,” said Catherine Goudreau, executive director of Better Basics.
Founded in 1993, Better Basics Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating illiteracy and addressing educational disparities among children in central Alabama. Through comprehensive reading and math intervention programs led by highly trained and certified teachers, as well as large-scale book distribution efforts, Better Basics equips underserved and educationally vulnerable children with the skills needed to succeed academically and beyond.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covers all program operational expenses. This ensures that 100% of every donation is used to provide those in need with the item a generous donor has purchased for them. Since 2017, millions of items have been donated through Giving Machines, totaling more than $32 million.
The Giving Machine proves how one small gift can go a long way.
“This year, we anticipate building home libraries by distributing over 173,000 high-interest, age-appropriate books to more than 35,000 children,” said Shaina Berry, director of marketing and communications for Better Basics. “Donations from the Light the World Giving Machine will help reach even more children than in prior years.”
Shoppers can visit the Light the World Giving Machine during mall hours until Jan. 3 at the Riverchase Galleria. To learn more about the Light the World Giving Machine, check out the Giving Machine Knoxville to Birmingham Facebook page.
To learn more about Better Basics and the programs that the gifts from the Light the World Giving Machine will support, visit www.betterbasics.org.
