COLUMBIA, Md. — They look like vending machines, and there'll soon be three of them at The Mall in Columbia - but they're actually vending machines that "work in reverse."
It's called a Giving Machine, and it's part of the "Light the World" Christmas initiative by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The project lets people make donations to local and global charities, including - locally - the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Bridges to Housing Stability, Grassroots Crisis Intervention, Salvation Army of Central Maryland and Digital Harbor Foundation.
The Giving Machine MidAtlantic will be at The Mall in Columbia from Dec. 6 through Dec. 17. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. Dec. 6, near Dunkin' and Forever 21 on the lower level of the mall. It's stopping by 61 cities worldwide, and will travel to Richmond, Va., after Columbia.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has held the Giving Machines since 2017, and 100 percent of every donation goes to the designated nonprofit.
Cari Larkins, Giving Machine Committee Chair, said in a statement:
The focus of Light the World Giving Machines is on the nonprofits that we have partnered with. We are grateful for this opportunity to highlight the good things these organizations are doing to bless the lives of those in Maryland and around the world.
