SAFFORD — “For a moment, imagine yourself walking up to a vending machine and putting money in. But instead of getting yourself a treat, you are actually donating to charity said Brenda Christiansen.
That concept will become a reality on Saturday, when the moving Giving Machines will begin its two-week stay in Safford.
Giving Machines work like any other vending machine — after putting money in, donors choose the nonprofit that will receive the funds. Once the cards are dropped, donors are encouraged to take selfies with the cards and share those photos on social media.
Donors can choose to donate to local organizations, statewide or national charities, or organizations that do charitable work on a global scale.
The two machines will be installed in Gira Valley in front of Safford City Hall on the corner of Main Street and Eighth Avenue, and the machines will be opened to traffic at 5:00 p.m. Saturday with a tape-cutting. It is performed by representatives of local non-profit organizations that can accept donations, as well as a choir of school children from across the Gila Valley.
Mobile Giving Machines in Arizona is running three times this holiday season, and this is the second one. The car he will be in Flagstaff from November 17th to December 1st, at Safford from December 3rd to 15th, and from December 17th he will finish in Tucson until January 1st.
The machine is an initiative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was launched in 2017 in four cities in Manila, Philippines. London, England; Salt Lake City and Gilbert. This year, Giving Machines will be held in his 28 cities across North America, the Philippines and Australia. Additionally he hosts his machines mobile in nine cities.
