Light The World Giving Machines Are Back to Bring Christmas Joy to Manila and Cebu
This Christmas season, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites all to celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ by extending a loving hand to those in need by bringing back Light The World Giving Machines in the Philippines.
These “giving-focused” vending machines offer a fun yet spiritual aspect to the shopping and gift-giving season in the Philippines. Unlike regular vending machines, the Giving Machines allow the public to participate in instant and affordable acts of service for fellow Filipinos in need.
With the generosity of our location partners, a Giving Machine will be hosted by Ayala Malls TriNoma in Quezon City and launched on November 9, 2023, at 11:00 AM on Level 4, near Cinema 1. In Cebu, another Giving Machine will be hosted by Ayala Center Cebu, and its launch will be held on November 16, 2023, at 11:00 AM, on Level 3 (between Casa Verde and Dessert Factory). All Giving Machines will be available during mall hours until January 1, 2024.
Items that are available through the Giving Machines this year include food packs, hygiene kits, educational materials, student financial aid, emergency and repair kits, multivitamins, eyeglasses and eye-care packages, medical kits, water kits, crutches, wheelchairs, immunization packages, and psychosocial support, among others.
In the past, donations made through Giving Machines in the Philippines have only been made using cash. This year, donors will be given the option to donate via cash or e-payment alternatives, including GCash and AliPay, making it easier to make cashless donations.
The Church covers all operational costs for every donated item made through the Giving Machines, ensuring that 100 percent of every donation goes to the recipients identified by our participating nonprofit organizations, including Caritas Manila, Caritas Cebu, Feed TheChildren, Inc., HERO Foundation, Inc., Mabuhay Deseret Foundation and UNICEF.
As a special gift for select donors this year, some product cards inside the Manila Giving Machines will contain unique Tabernacle Choir stickers. Donors can trade these stickers for special tickets for the upcoming February 2024 concert of the Choir in the Philippines.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, established in 1847, is a world-renowned choir that has performed at many prestigious events, including US Presidential inaugurations. Currently, the Choir is on its first-ever world tour, with the Philippines as its second stop after Mexico.
Since 2018, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has hosted Giving Machines in the Philippines, one of just six countries worldwide to do so every Christmas season. To date, the Giving Machines have collected over US$22 million in donations for many beneficiaries across the globe.
Each Christmas season, the Church’s #LightTheWorld initiative invites all people to follow the loving example of the Savior Jesus Christ, the Light of The World, by caring for individuals one by one.
The Church hopes people may be inspired to find unique ways to love, share and invite one another to light the world. As people worldwide inspire and help each other know how to let their light shine through Christ’s teachings, His light and love will better reach those seeking healing, hope and true joy.
