Light the World for Children and Illuminate the Joy of Giving
UNICEF USA and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pair up for another inspiring holiday season through Light the World Giving Machines. Learn how you can donate to help children around the world receive lifesaving items and resources.
Make charitable giving a family experience! The holiday season is the perfect time to teach kids the joy of giving to help those in need. UNICEF USA is collaborating with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to allow everyone to donate for children in a fun, informative way.
Saving a life could start with a vending machine
During the holiday season, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints places Light the World Giving Machines in locations worldwide. These striking red kiosks allow UNICEF supporters to choose one or more items for “purchase” that children need to survive and thrive.
For seven years, UNICEF USA has been invited to participate in Light the World by showcasing practical ways families can donate to help children and mothers. The UNICEF Inspired Gifts featured in Giving Machines turn passerby attention into life-changing action for the world’s most vulnerable children.
“UNICEF USA is thankful once again to partner with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the Light the World Giving Machines program, which has played a critical role in supporting UNICEF’s mission,” Michael J. Nyenhuis, President and CEO of UNICEF USA.
This year, UNICEF enables supporters to donate for children through Giving Machines located in 14 U.S. cities:
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Chicago, Illinois (Chicagoland)
- Eugene, Oregon
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- Frisco, Texas
- Grapevine, Texas
- McKinney, Texas
- Mystic, Connecticut
- New York, New York
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Portland, Oregon
- Sharon, Vermont
- St. Louis, Missouri
UNICEF has raised over $2 million to date through Light the World donations. UNICEF operates the world’s largest humanitarian warehouse and uses your donations to distribute supplies where they are needed most. When you buy an Inspired Gift, you are supporting UNICEF’s extensive work in over 190 countries and territories.
UNICEF Inspired Gifts meet needs that everyone can understand
Your family can make a difference in two ways this year. With one swipe of a card at a Light the World Giving Machine, supporters can donate to help children through a UNICEF Inspired Gift — actual items that illustrate the challenges children face in other parts of the world.
Watch the video
One mother who gave each of her five children $25 to spend in a Giving Machine last year said, “I love that they get this experience. They get to feel that they’re giving back, and it was something personal for them.”
Giving online goes just as far with Virtual Giving Machines
And if your city doesn’t have a physical Giving Machine, you don’t have to miss the fun. You can sit down as a family and visit our Virtual Giving Machines, an online marketplace offering additional UNICEF Inspired Gifts you can choose.
When you purchase UNICEF Inspired Gifts, children and families receive essential health and nutrition services, emergency assistance for newborns, therapeutic food packets for malnourished children and bicycles for learners to attend school. Here are a few examples of how your donation to help children makes a real impact.
Polio Vaccines
Polio has no cure and mainly affects children under 5. Vaccination has prevented billions of children from contracting this disabling and life-threatening disease and is the only way to wipe out polio completely. UNICEF helps vaccinate over 400 million children against polio every year.
Educational Feeding Sets
UNICEF’s Feeding Bowl and Spoon sets are easy, effective tools for caregivers to remember key nutrition tips and ensure children get nutrient-dense, diverse meals at the right times. Featuring culturally relevant food icons and portion lines for different age groups, the simple bowl and spoon sets improve meal planning and feeding.
Baby Resuscitation Kits
Small, portable and easy-to-clean Baby Resuscitation Kits provide mothers and healthcare workers with the emergency supplies they need to support the health and survival of infants.
Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)
Donate for children by selecting RUTF packets, a peanut-based paste that contains vital nutrients for children suffering from malnutrition, as an item. Just one course of RUTF puts a small child on a better path to healthy growth and development.
School Commuter Bicycles
Too many children around the world miss an education because even the nearest school is too far from home. Others walk several hours each way, often across rough terrain, leaving them vulnerable to punishing weather and even violence. One roadster bicycle can allow a child to attend school by making the journey quicker and safer.
Purchase a UNICEF Inspired Gift with your family today to help fund UNICEF’s work to support children and mothers across the globe.
Learn more about UNICEF's partnership with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
UNICEF does not endorse any organization, company, brand, product or service.
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.
