Vending machines that encourage charitable giving are returning to Tysons Corner Center just in time for the holidays.
The Light the World Giving Machines, which are sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, will be unveiled outside the AMC Theatres (7850 Tysons Corner Center) at noon tomorrow (Saturday) and continue operations through Jan. 4.
The public “unwrapping” will feature an appearance by Santa Claus, who has been staying at the mall since early November.
Continuing the initiative’s celebratory launch, on Monday (Nov. 24), Washington Spirit players Courtney Brown and Heather Stainbrook — who might be National Women’s Soccer League champions by then — are scheduled to stop by the machines for photos and autographs from 6-8 p.m.
“Through the Light the World Giving Machines, we have the chance to shine Christ’s light more brightly in our community,” Lisa Bartolomei, director of the Giving Machines in the D.C. area, said. “This initiative brings us together in service and strengthens the efforts of the nonprofits who are meeting the fundamental needs of our neighbors.”
This is Tysons Corner Center’s second consecutive year serving as a host for the Giving Machines since the initiative expanded to the D.C. region in 2022. The machines previously appeared in Kensington, Maryland, and then at Ballston Quarter in Arlington.
Started in 2017, the Giving Machines were conceived by the Mormon Church as an avenue for supporting charities at a time of the year when people often feel more inclined toward philanthropy, even as they splurge on gifts for loved ones.
Since it launched, the initiative has collected more than $48 million in donations for charities that provide vaccines, shoes, school supplies, food for people in need, and other assistance. More than 126 locations around the world will host Giving Machines this year, organizers say.
Like last year, the Tysons Giving Machines will benefit five local charities and two organizations with a more global reach:
- Capital Area Food Bank
- Central Union Mission
- Children’s National Hospital Foundation
- FACETS
- Homestretch
- Lifting Hands International
- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
Nonprofits apply each year to participate in the initiative, and choosing which ones to include is always a challenge, according to Bartolomei.
“Each year, we select nonprofits that best reflect the needs of our community,” she said in a statement to FFXnow. “This year, we’re excited to have five local and two global nonprofits that cover a wide range of needs, including the basic necessities of individuals and families.”
Patrons can choose which charity they would like to support and an item to donate based on the needs of each nonprofit. For example, donations to FACETS could fund anything from new shoes for a child to rent deposits enabling a family to move out of a temporary shelter and into a permanent home, the nonprofit’s director of volunteer engagement Suzanne Hough says.
Based in Fairfax City, FACETS provides shelter, food assistance, case management and other safety net services to individuals and families across the city and county. Just this past week, Fairfax County selected the nonprofit as the new operator of its Bailey’s Shelter and Supportive Housing site in Bailey’s Crossroads.
“It’s such an honor to be part of the Giving Machine and to be connected to so many nonprofits in our area that are doing such good work,” Hough said.
