The Giving Machine, a traveling vending machine for charity, arrives at Coral Ridge Mall for holiday giving

CORALVILLE — What do a pig, a wig, and Walkie-Talkies have in common?

They’re all fun new ways to give back to charity, thanks to a trio of new vending machines at the Coral Ridge Mall.

The Light the World Giving Machine, a new kind of vending machine with a growing global footprint, is bringing a new twist to the Corridor this holiday giving season.

How it works

The machines, designed to unite people in the spirit of giving and kindness, will be available in Coralville through Dec. 9 before they are moved to St. Louis.

With the tap of a few buttons and a payment card, patrons can buy items ranging from $5 to $150 for local charities. With everything from food and therapy dog treats, to bus passes and furniture, there’s a way for virtually everyone to give back to the community.

The three vending machines are located in the food court, near the carousel. Machines are open to the public during mall operating hours.

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Some of the most novel items include a piglet to help families develop financial stability, chickens to provide a family with income and nourishment, sensory toys for pediatric patients with autism, and a spelunking headlamp for campers with disabilities.

With each donation, a card is dropped to the floor of the machine, where volunteers later collect them. All overhead costs are covered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to ensure 100 percent of donations are passed along to charities.

Receipts are sent via text message or email. Cash is not accepted at machines.

At Coral Ridge Mall, local volunteers will also offer free family-friendly activities and entertainment to visitors.

“For us, we find joy in the activity,” said Susan Sims, Iowa Regional Communication Director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We find new friends, get to know our communities better, and come together with others in a spirit of giving.”

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Who it benefits

Iowa charities featured in the Coralville installation include:

Two international charities — Church World Service and Days for Girls — are also featured in the vending machines.

Charlie Becker, former CEO of Camp Courageous in Monticello who now works for the camp’s foundation, said finding new means of exposure in the community is important for vitality in fundraising.

“I think variety is good, because everybody does the same thing year after year after year,” he said. “This is a creative idea. The beauty of it is 100 percent of the items people are providing to charity go to them.”

For Camp Courageous campers, local vending machine patrons can purchase a spelunking lamp, sponsorships to help disabled campers attend camp, and Walkie-Talkie radios to help staff keep campers safe.

For the Stead Family Children’s Hospital, donors can vend a wig for pediatric cancer patients, a car seat for families leaving the hospital with a newborn, or treats for the therapy dog.

Bradley Haws, CEO of Clinical Enterprise at UI Health Care, said the machines make it easy for generous donors to support the needs of others.

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“It’s a really unique way for the community to say ‘I have the desire and a little bit of funds, and I’d like to give it to something in the community,’ ” Haws said. “It’s more inspirational.”

As Medicaid funding cuts implemented by the One Big Beautiful Bill in July are phased in over the next several years, support from donors may take on a more critical role for Iowa hospitals.

“As we looked forward, (Medicaid revenue) was going to be a major source of funding as we invest in facilities,” Haws said. “The reduction of that Medicaid funding has a significant impact on our budget.”

How it has grown

All of it started with a simple question: “How could we make giving more fun?”

The experiment that started with just a few machines in 2017 has become a global effort. Today, the vending machines are found in 126 cities across 21 countries on six continents.

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Giving Machines have raised roughly $10 million annually over the last few years, and a total of $44 million globally over the last eight years — all of it sent straight to charities.

Installed in Coralville on Nov. 20, the growing charity project organized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints comes to Coralville after its first Iowa appearance in West Des Moines, where it raised more than $90,000 last year.

“This is not an inexpensive endeavor, but the machines brought so much joy to everyone involved that the church began to expand and continue to refine the program over time,” Sims said. “The most rapid expansion has been in the last two years.”

In cities without a Giving Machine, “Light the World” messaging encourages the public to be someone’s angel, brighten someone’s day, or think about those in need and do good for others.

The effort continues to evolve annually as it grows.

Previously, machines sat in one place for six weeks, often outside. Now, mobile routes allow cities to share a limited number of machines for shorter periods of time in each location.

In past years, items up to $250 were available, but the most expensive items were chosen less often. Today, charities are encouraged to keep their most expensive item at $150 or less.

“We have learned that people are very compassionate and love to help children, veterans, refugees and people striving to have a better life,” Sims said.

This year, some cities are experimenting with “digital” vending machines that animate falling cards on a screen rather than physical ones that drop to the floor. Digital machines may become more common in the future.

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.