Outside, the air was cold enough to cut through even the thickets of coats. But inside the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, a feeling of warmth pervaded as the man in red prepared to unveil a refrigerator-size present, courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Hiding beneath the peppermint-striped wrapping paper were two shiny, red vending machines. Only, instead of pop, pretzels and peanut butter cups, a news release noted, these kiosks offered options for a variety of charities to support, from the the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska to the Fairbanks Senior Center.
“It’s always better to give than to receive,” an emotional Santa observed during the Nov. 22 event marking the first time the church’s Giving Machines, found throughout the world, had made their way to Kris Kringle’s sort-of hometown. “That really is true.”
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Santa Claus makes a selection from the Light the World Giving Machines at Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024.
Also present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony was North Pole Mayor Larry Terch, who voiced his thanks to the church and to those who planned to use the Light the World Giving Machines to support the community.
“It means,” Terch said, “so much to all of us.”
Like Santa, these particular machines will cover a fair bit of ground in the coming days. After three weeks at the Santa Claus House, they will make their way to Anchorage, the state’s largest city, where they will reside for another three weeks.
At the kiosks, shoppers can donate food, shelter, clothing, medical services, school supplies, even livestock with the simple swipe of a credit card.
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) The Jones family donates to a Light the World Giving Machine that will benefit charities at Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024.
The church first launched the Giving Machines effort in 2017 and has continued to expand the Christmastime project across the globe. This year, the red boxes will be in a record 107 cities in 13 countries on five continents, including the first in Africa and Asia, according to a Nov, 13 church news release, benefiting 500-plus nonprofit organizations. Through the years, they have resulted in donations valued at more than $32 million.
The church states that it covers all operational expenses to ensure that 100% of every donation goes to the organization of the users’ choosing.
While admiring the charitable outreach, some have criticized the Utah-based church, pointing to its vast riches, including $56.8 billion in a publicly reported investment portfolio and an overall wealth estimated at $265 billion.
The church has boosted its humanitarian spending in recent years, topping $1 billion in 2023 and 2022.
“Jesus Christ is the light of the world,” Mark A. Bragg, Latter-day Saint area president for the region that encompasses Alaska, said at the North Pole unveiling. “We’re here because of him. We’re here because we want to bless others. It’s what he would do. It’s what he did. It’s what he does. And we get to be a small part of that.”
