‘Giving Machine’ in Clearwater to help people in need

CLEARWATER, Fla. — People in the Tampa Bay area have a new way to donate to charity.

Outside Crumbl Cookies at the Clearwater Mall there are vending machines with charitable items called “Light the World Giving Machine.”

All purchases are actually donations that will help local and global charities.

Members of the Steed family were the first to use the giving machines.

“This is our chance to give back at a local level and at a global level. And what’s great about it as well is that these donations go 100% to these charitable organizations,” said Garret Steed, owner of the Crumbl Cookies Clearwater franchise.

The Giving Machine is like a vending machine. They’re placed at businesses, like the Steed’s Crumbl Cookies store. But instead of buying a snack, people can pick an item to donate to a charity.

The Steeds donated one of everything in the machine.

“I think that this is a very tangible way our kids can see, like, oh, we’re giving a goat, we’re giving a sewing kit for someone to start a business, or we’re giving a dental hygiene kit,” said Kylie Steed.

The initiative supports five local charities, including Metropolitan Ministries, Premier Community Healthcare, The Spring of Tampa Bay, Casa Pinellas and the Shepherd Center of Tarpon Springs.

VP of Metropolitan Ministries communications Justine Burke said donations will help them supply food and holiday gifts for people in need.

“The need is significant this year … since the hurricanes last year, people are struggling still. Affordability, affording that rent, affording food, affording just all those extra things in life,” said Burke.

All the donations go directly to the charity selected at the machine. The operating cost is covered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

“It feels really good to give back to the community. There’s a scripture that says: ‘where much is given, much is required.’ We’ve been given so much that it’s really a nice opportunity for all of us to be able to give back and help those that are less fortunate,” said Sarah Watson, Site Director for Giving Machine Tampa.

The Giving Machine will be in Clearwater until Jan. 3, 2026.

They operate at all hours.

Since 2017, The Giving Machine has raised more than $50 million around the world, providing hundreds of thousands of items and services to people in need.