Thinking of giving someone a few chickens for Christmas this year? Here’s how you can do that.
Chickens are among the items that can be donated to a Third World family through a Giving Machine, three of which will operate at the Tillicum Centre from Nov. 14 to Dec. 3. Closer to home, people can use the Giving Machines to donate to five local charities.
The local charities participating in this year’s campaign are Soap for Hope Canada, the Shelbourne Community Kitchen, James Bay New Horizons, the Victoria Cool Aid Society and Saanich Neighbourhood Place. Global charities are CARE Canada and UNICEF Canada
Giving Machines are customized red vending machines with a twist. Instead of dispensing a product to consume, they allow people to donate tangible items to help people in need, whether they live across the street or around the world. For instance, a Victoria family may choose to buy chickens for a family in a Third World country, or provide groceries for needy families locally.
Other items include clean water, shelter, gardening kits, agricultural items (seeds, trees, farming tools), clothing, health care, education, bedding, hygiene kits, and job and career training. Livestock, such as chickens and beehives, can also be purchased.
The Giving Machine campaign is part of the Light the World initiative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and operates in partnership with local and international charities. One hundred per cent of the donations goes directly to the charities involved, as the church covers all overhead costs and receives no financial benefit from this initiative.
The local campaign will be launched Nov. 14 at the Tillicum Centre on Tillicum Road, and will run until Dec. 3, after which the Giving Machines will be transferred to the Lower Mainland for the balance of the Christmas season.
Leading the Vancouver Island Giving Machine campaign this year are Kath Murray and Joyce Thomson.
“This is just such a fun way to make meaningful donations,” said Murray, “especially since donors can be assured every penny they give will go to the charities involved.”
“Kids especially like the Giving Machines,” said Thomson, “for a couple of reasons, they tend to be more comfortable and familiar with the technology as it is more like a large smartphone than a vending machine and secondly, they are generous by nature and get excited to have the power to help others. The machines are easy for anyone to operate, and volunteers will be standing by to explain and assist.” “Kids especially like the Giving Machines,” said Thomson, “as they tend to be more comfortable with the technology than some of us who are older. But the machines are easy for anyone to operate, and volunteers will be standing by to explain and assist.”
Since the first Giving Machine was a switched on 2017, more than $60 million CDN has been donated. This year, the machines will appear in more than 130 cities in 21 countries.
