'Giving Machine' brings unique way to donate to community this holiday season

'The Giving Machine' spreads holiday joy all over the world

The Giving Machine in Clearwater allows donors to touch lives locally and globally this holiday season. FOX 13's Heather Healy reports.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Christmas shopping may be through, but the giving is not quite done yet. There is still a unique way to donate to our community. 

The backstory:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has a Light the World initiative joined by five local organizations and two global organizations for the community to have plenty of options when helping those in need with "The Giving Machine."

"Once people see what we're doing, and the impact they can have in individual lives here locally and globally, it'll be something that catches on," Patrick Thornton, city lead for the Light the World Giving Machine, said. 

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Here's how it works: go up to the machine, select what you would like to donate, pay for it, and a card of what you selected slides down to the bottom, indicating your purchase went through and is on the way to helping someone.   

Thornton gives an example:

"For $40, you can buy a Ring doorbell for a domestic violence survivor, and that $40 goes directly toward to buying that Ring doorbell and the charity that does it gives that charity to that individual," Thornton said.  

Making this a little more special on both ends of the donation line. 

"It helps, I think, for people on the giving end to feel a real tangible connection," Anne Thornton, fellow City Lead at Light of the World Giving Machine, said.

What's next:

You can donate through Jan. 3, 2026. The Giving Machine is located right in front of Crumbl Cookies outside of Clearwater Mall.

For more information on The Giving Machine and its mission, click here.