IDAHO FALLS — Beginning Dec. 15, the Grand Teton Mall welcomed the Giving Machine, which brought in thousands of visitors to the little venue by Barnes and Noble, hundreds of volunteers from the region to help man the machines, and many community members who inspired and participated in the spirit of giving over the course of fewer than 20 days.

The Giving Machine is part of the Light the World initiative from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which invites all to follow Christ’s example through serving, kindness, sharing, and giving. Like a vending machine, the Giving Machine allows the purchaser to choose an item or as many items as they wish to vend, but rather than walking away with a treat or snack, the purchaser walks away having given their item(s) to someone in their own community through a local nonprofit or to someone overseas through an international nonprofit.

According to Idaho Falls Giving Machine City Lead Alan Avondet, the Idaho Falls community rallied to donate to six local nonprofits and two other international causes through more than 6,500 transactions on the Giving Machine with an estimated 30,000 visitors in the 17 days it had been in the mall.

“[The most rewarding part] is being a witness to the goodness of the people in southeastern Idaho — how great these people are and how they’ve come and stepped up to the plate,” explained Avoncet.

Those who participated in the Giving Machine could select items such as a box of diapers, a meal or shelter for a night, a goat, a year’s worth of education, a feminine hygiene kit, and much more. The local nonprofits who will receive the donations include Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center, Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership, Idaho Falls Rescue Mission, The Village, Community Food Basket Idaho Falls and Friends in Service Here.

These were vetted and chosen as the benefactors of the Giving Machine to help those around the area. The two international charities which will benefit are Right to Play and Care. There were 25 gifts going to those in the area and region, while five gifts will travel internationally.

“It’s about building the spirit of community and helping those who need help in our own community,” Avondet said. “It’s really wonderful. We are very privileged and blessed to work with these good people who operate the charities and nonprofits. We are totally in awe of all the good that they do and hope that this will help them do even more good.”

During the past two weeks, locals have bought over 1,900 shelter meals, which will go through the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission which provides shelter and meals for the homeless in the area. The second most purchased item has been a goat, which will benefit one of the charities overseas and will provide milk, cheese, and a living that can help someone sustain a family in a foreign country.

Local community members volunteer to run the machines and the venue where thousands of people come to give during the season. Idaho Falls had an estimated 500 volunteers from Ammon, Idaho Falls, Shelley and Firth. This doesn’t include the hundreds of visitors who entertained at the venue by sharing talents such as singing, dancing and playing every hour or half hour as the community came to give. A few of the entertainers in the past two weeks included piano solos, a string quartet, Bonneville High School Jazz Band, a drum and bagpipe group, ballroom dancers, a saxophonist and several others who helped bring in the spirit of giving and of Christmas.

In 2021, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had the Giving Machine in 10 locations around the U.S., all in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, or Dallas. However, within the last couple of years, the church has extended the Light the World Giving Machine to six continents, 21 countries, and 126 cities, including Idaho Falls.

Idaho Falls was one of three cities in southeastern Idaho to host the Giving Machine this season as Pocatello and Rexburg shared the machine for the 45 days the church puts them out for the communities to host in an effort to inspire giving to help those around them.

The Giving Machine closed Thursday afternoon.