You can now make donations to local nonprofits while taking a stroll down the 16th Street Mall with a Giving Machine on Writer Square.
The machines let you donate money the same way you'd buy a snack from a vending machine. You use your card or mobile pay and choose from available charities, picking cards representing the donation amount and the organization from several rows. Once you chose one, the cards drop into a collection box, completing your donation. Donations can be made to the Rose Andom Center, the Black Child Development Institute, Catholic Charities of Denver, Mile High Ministries, Water for People and CWS Global.
Last year, Giving Machines in five cities raised more than $2.3 million for 18 charities, according to a press release. The money donated can be used to buy things like books, meals, personal care items, clean water and even chickens or piglets. Donations can range from $3.50 to $300.
The machines are sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who has giving machines in nine other cities including New York, London, Salt Lake City and Gilbert, Arizona. The Church covers machine costs, administrative fees and other overhead.
Denver's machine has been operational since last Tuesday, but the winter storm last week delayed its ceremonial opening. Mayor Michael Hancock on Monday helped unwrap the machine during a brief ceremony. He made a donation to the Rose Andom Center, a domestic violence victim support center and one of the participating nonprofits.
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly referred to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the "Church of Latter-day Saints."
