LDS church unveils ‘Giving Machines’ to
help New Yorkers give back
BY AIDAN SEIDEN
Following the two most popular shopping
events of the year, Black Friday
and Cyber Monday, The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unveiled
their innovative philanthropic “Giving
Machines” on “Giving Tuesday,” at a
ribbon-cutting ceremony in Rockefeller
Center, declaring this year’s theme “Light
the World with Love.”
With only two simple steps, these
modern, easy-to-use redesigned “vending
machines” provide New Yorkers and tourists
with a convenient opportunity to satisfy
their altruistic propensities, just in time
for what has become widely recognized as
“The Giving Season.”
The Machines were fi rst introduced in
Salt Lake City, Utah in 2017, and were
developed and funded by The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a way
to facilitate a more largely conducive way
for people to give to charity on a global
scale. The initial response to the machines
were staggering, resulting in “more than
$550,000 in donations,” according to
the Light the World website, and only
continued to gain momentum each year.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 virus,
The Giving Machines were not available
in 2020, but they are back and better than
The “Giving Machines” at Rockefeller Center
ever.
Now, Giving Machines can be found
in 10 different cities across the country—
including Las Vegas, Nevada, Nashville,
Tennessee, Honolulu, Hawaii, and Orem,
Utah to name a few—with The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fi nancing
all operational expenditures for this project
to ensure that 100% of the proceeds they
PHOTO BY AIDAN SEIDEN
receive, gets distributed to each charity
In collaboration with The Church of Latter
day Saints, each city has a combination
of local and foreign non-profi t charities and
organizations that are assisting in providing
items and supplies to fi ll the machines.
For New York City, the charities participating
are: “Unicef USA, USA for UNHCR,
The UN Refugee Agency, WaterAid, Care
USA, The New York Board of Rabbis,
Mariano Rivera Foundation, Catholic
Charities of the Archdiocese of New York,
The Actors Fund and The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints,” according to
a recent press release.
Each Giving Machine offers 30 items to
choose from, with prices ranging from $5
to $250. After a swift swipe of a credit card
and a push of a button “you could donate
anything from a single goat or two chickens
to providing a household cleaning kit, polio
vaccines or even a day at Yankee Stadium
for an orphaned teen,” according to the
Light the World website. Additionally, after
a person makes a contribution, the Giving
Machine “dispenses a postcard featuring an
image and description of their donation.”
So this year, if you fi nd yourself wandering
around Rockefeller Center with a few
extra dollars in your wallet, stop by the
Giving Machines—located just south of
the Center’s beloved Christmas tree— and
make a contribution. From supplying winter
scarves, face masks and even providing
a community with a long-term source of
clean water, every donation helps.
“It’s a wonderful way for New Yorkers
and tourists alike to give back this holiday
season,” according to the Light the World
website, “And it’s a great, teachable moment
for families.”
Two suspects sought in connection with deadly
Thanksgiving stabbing near Penn Station
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Cops need the public’s help in fi nding
two men connected to a deadly
Thanksgiving Night stabbing near
Penn Station.
Police said the victim, a 36-year-old man,
was knifed following a dispute near the transit
hub, at the corner of West 33rd Street and 7th
Avenue, at about 6:03 p.m. on Nov. 25.
According to WABC-TV, the victim — who,
police said, was believed to be homeless —
had approached MTA police moments after
being stabbed in the chest. Offi cers immediately
called for assistance, and members of the
Midtown South Precinct and EMS responded.
Paramedics rushed the wounded man to
Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced
dead. Police have withheld his identity, pending
family notifi cation.
It was the second murder at or near Penn
Station within a week. On Nov. 21, 32-yearold
Akeen Loney was fatally stabbed in an
apparently random attack on board a 2 train
approaching Penn Station. So far, no arrests
have been made in that case.
But hours after the Thanksgiving murder,
the NYPD released images of two men connected
to that day’s homicide.
One of the suspects, believed to have stabbed
the victim, wore a black hooded sweatshirt, a
brown-and-white patterned jacket, blue jeans
and tan boots. The other perpetrator wore
a black baseball cap, a black hood, a black
jacket, black pants and gray shoes.
Anyone with information regarding
the deadly shooting can call Crime Stoppers
at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial
888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online
at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on
Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages
are kept confi dential.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NYPD
One of the suspects behind a stabbing near Penn Station on
Thanksgiving night.
44 DDeecceemmbbeerr 22,, 22002211 SScchhnneeppss MMeeddiiaa
/crimestoppers.nypdonline.org
