East Idaho residents opened their hearts — and their wallets — in a big way during last holiday season’s Light the World Giving Machine campaign, donating nearly $3 million to local and international charities.

The final numbers are impressive. Residents in the Pocatello, Idaho Falls and Rexburg areas combined to raise $2,898,630, donate 78,000 items and welcome more than 95,000 visitors to the machines during the holiday season — a testament to the extraordinary generosity of a region that showed up in force, in cold weather and long lines, with smiles on their faces. All of those funds were distributed last week to the participating charities.

“This is truly a celebration of what can happen when a community comes together and gives with a shared purpose,” said Sherri Matson, head of the Giving Machine program in the Pocatello area. “During November and December, we witnessed something remarkable here in Pocatello and across East Idaho.”

In the Pocatello area, the Giving Machines were located at ICCU’s headquarters in Chubbuck from Nov. 15 to Nov. 30, drawing 32,000 visitors who donated 29,496 items and raised $960,534 for local charities. Checks were presented to Aid for Friends, Bannock Youth Foundation, Bright Tomorrows, SEICAA, United Way, Right to Play and Care USA at a ceremony last week at ICCU’s headquarters.

“People gave not just their resources, but their time, their talents and their hearts,” Matson said. “Acts of generosity both large and small created a ripple effect that touched thousands of lives.”

Cassidy Roske, executive director of Bright Tomorrows, said watching community members brave the cold to stand in line and donate left her deeply moved.

“They would come and they would stand in line and they had a smile on their faces,” Roske said. “That to me was so incredible because that was the power of being excited to donate and being excited to help. It was incredible to watch.”

One moment that stayed with Roske was watching an older woman select a few items from a Giving Machine and then pause, wondering what more she could do.

“It wasn’t about anything other than wanting to make a difference for somebody who might be able to use it,” Roske said.

Brenda Worrell, CEO of ICCU, said the experience was unlike anything she had witnessed.

“It was amazing to come here every day for two weeks and feel the spirit on this campus,” Worrell said. “It was a great kickoff to the holiday season. I’m so proud of our community.”

In Idaho Falls, the Giving Machines were at the Grand Teton Mall from Dec. 15 to Jan. 1, raising $1,312,826 for eight nonprofit organizations. Checks were presented at a ceremony last week at the Brickyard Event Center in Ammon.

“We appreciate and recognize everyone from the community,” said Idaho Falls Giving Machine campaign organizer Alan Avondet at the event.

The breakdown of Idaho Falls donations reflects the breadth of community giving. The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center received $198,810; Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership received $202,225; Care USA received $211,156; Right to Play received $233,970; the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission received $147,075; Community Food Basket received $137,700; The Village received $141,000; and Friends in Service Here received $40,890.

Rexburg participated in the Giving Machine campaign for the first time this past holiday season — and the results surprised even the organizers. Residents donated $625,270 and purchased 16,000 items through more than 6,000 credit card transactions at the Giving Machines from Dec. 1 through Dec. 14.

“It’s a lot more than we expected to raise,” said LDS Church official Brett Crandall, who awarded seven large checks to charities last week. “We honestly had no idea how much we would raise.”

Among the items purchased in Rexburg alone were 1,041 goats for families in need, 1,331 pairs of shoes for children and 23,000 meals. One item — a month’s supply of diapers — resulted in 66,000 diapers being purchased in Rexburg alone.

Local charities receiving Rexburg donations included the Family Crisis Center, which received $106,670, and the Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership, which received $88,630. Neighboring charities including the Idaho Falls Humanitarian Center received $67,825, the Ronald McDonald House received $65,985 and the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission received $67,390. Right to Play received $116,710 and Care USA received $112,060.

“Everyone at all three locations — Pocatello, Idaho Falls and Rexburg — we were all blown away by the generosity in the Eastern Idaho community,” Crandall said.

The Light the World Giving Machine program, launched by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2017, has now raised more than $32 million from more than two million visitors worldwide. In 2025 alone, nearly one million people visited Giving Machine kiosks in 125 cities across 21 countries on six continents.

What makes the Giving Machines so powerful, Crandall said, is that donors know exactly where their money is going.

“It helps people visualize where exactly their money is going,” he said. “You can make a donation to an organization, but you have no idea where that money is going. With the Giving Machines, I know my money is going to pay for shoes for a child in need or a meal for a family who has a loved one in the hospital.”

Elder David Pickett, Area Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, offered perhaps the most fitting tribute to the thousands of East Idahoans who gave.

“You represent the finest of the finest,” Pickett said. “On behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I want to thank you for being who you are.”

Plans call for the Giving Machines to return to East Idaho this December. For more information or to make an online donation, visit givingmachine.org.

The Post Register and Rexburg Standard Journal contributed to this report.