DES PERES, Mo.—There’s a new temporary addition to the holiday hustle and bustle at West County Center that organizers hope has a lasting impact on charitable organizations in the St. Louis region and beyond.

On the second floor near Barnes and Noble, shoppers will find vending machines, with a twist. 

They’re called Giving Machines.

Formally unveiled Wednesday afternoon, the machines will be in place through Jan. 1. Visitors can use the machines to shop for items that will be donated to any of five local charities:

  • St. Louis Area Foodbank

  • Crisis Nursery of Saint Louis

  • International Institute

  • Urban League Head Start

  • Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition

A full 100% of the proceeds donated will go to the charities through the Light The World program. 

This is the first year for the Giving Machines in St. Louis. Since the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints began sponsoring them in 2017, more than $22 million has been donated to charities around the world.

“Jesus Christ taught one of the greatest forms of giving is not just to give to receive and receive the praise of man or whatnot what that may be, but instead, to give without hope or recourse of receiving in return and that in a sense is what the giving machines represent,” the Church’s Area Seventy Elder Jeremiah Morgan said in an unwrapping ceremony Wednesday.

“You get to control and decide who your donation benefits. It could be a mom trying to buy formula for and infant it could be a child who needs some art supplies for school. It could be someone who needs a school uniform who’s been impacted by foster care. Or your donation could reach around the world thousands of miles to someone else who needs help. But the power to choose belongs to you,” said St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson joked that despite the machines’ religious sponsorship, they’ll accept money from anyone, regardless of religious beliefs. But he also implored the public to consider needs that will extend well past the time the holidays fade and the machines go away.

“Yes, this time of year is about giving, it’s the holidays, it’s Christmastime, I get all that. These needs are going to be there tomorrow, January, February, March, it’s just not today,” he said.