Catholic Charities of Idaho now supports families in need through Light of the World Giving Machine

Giving Machine Launch Event 2025

By Kathryn Pasker Ineck

ICR Assistant Editor

He knew he wanted to be involved from the very beginning.

Last year, Catholic Charities of Idaho (CCI) Executive Director Eddie Trask attended the Light the World Giving Machine launch event at the Boise Centre and was amazed at what he witnessed.

“I was blown away. It was pouring rain, and no one cared,” he told the Idaho Catholic Register. “Volunteers were there handing out ponchos. There was fun happening in that environment, and I recognized we need to keep applying to host one of the machines, because there is a story to tell.”

According to the Light the World Giving Machine website, the kiosks are “physical vending machines that allow users to donate sums of money for specific items and services offered by specific charities.

Donors can purchase necessities — such as food, clothing, school supplies, hygiene kits, medical care, or livestock — for people in need in their local community or in another country. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covers all operating costs, ensuring that participating organizations receive 100% of every donation.”

While donors don’t receive a physical item in return for an electronic donation, they can be sure their donation will directly help Idahoans in need, without the operational expenses that often deter people from giving to charities.

Applying to host a Giving Machine kiosk is a rigorous process. Trask said that the Light the World organization reserves participation for nonprofit organizations that seek to help the most vulnerable members of society for immediate and future needs, and show a stellar track record as a successful provider of humanitarian services, among other qualifications.

“It means making sure that this is a legitimate nonprofit that cares about expenses, cares about revenue and utilizes the money effectively and is a good steward,” explained Trask. “It all ties into being fiscally sound, community responsible and, in our case, being responsible for the entire state of Idaho, ensuring that we are going to be stewards of any of the money that is gifted to us through donors.”

The LDS Church founded and directs the Light the World initiative, their charitable purpose sharing a common thread with Catholic social teaching, particularly the corporal works of mercy: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless and caring for the sick.

“I think it speaks to a common motive that I sense in this community of helping others, across the board,” Trask said. “Are they human? Do they have dignity? Yes — check and check. Let’s do it. Let’s partner. Let’s seek the common good and, along the way, have some fun. This is what I love about the Giving Machine.”

Beyond the Treasure Valley, Giving Machine kiosks are also located in Pocatello, Rexburg and Idaho Falls, each offering opportunities to support charities specific to their communities.

What does this mean for CCI?

Catholic Charities of Idaho was recently added to Charity Navigator, a popular website that provides information about 245,000 charities to offer “comprehensive ratings [to] shine a light on the cost-effectiveness and overall health of a charity’s programs, including measures of stability, efficiency and sustainability. The metrics inform donors of not just where their dollars are going but what their dollars are doing,” according to Charity Navigator’s website. Because CCI received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, donors are assured that their monetary donations will go directly to those who need help.

In the Treasure Valley, CCI was chosen as a local charity recipient in addition to the Assistance League, JEMfriends, Jesse Tree and Treasure Valley Family YMCA. Global charity options include the Academy for Enterprise, originally created to teach job skills to those who need them, and Water for Good, a global clean water initiative.

Each non-profit charity offers five options for donors in a range of dollar value. For CCI, the five options include:

• Emergency transportation at the $25 level to “fuel a family’s journey to safety, work, childcare or school during a crisis”

• Infant hygiene kit at the $40 level to “gift a new mom everything she needs to keep her baby clean and comfortable”

• Family comfort kit at the $50 level, providing much-needed items to restore stability

• Month of utilities at the $75 level to “keep the lights on or water running for a family facing hardship”

• Wellness counseling at the $100 level to help someone in need of professional mental health support

  
  

Catholic Charities of Idaho will receive 100% of every donation to provide the selected items or services.

Since CCI locations don’t “have a diaper bank or a food pantry where you have a bunch of traffic, or where the general public is out and about, people don’t necessarily know the activities that are happening,” Trask said. The Giving Machine is an opportunity for people to learn about CCI and engage with them in a tangible way. “This is another way for the community to be educated about what we do.”

Public Launch Events

After the Giving Machine launches at each location, it will stay for two weeks before moving to the next location.

• Boise Towne Square Mall: Nov. 19 at noon

• Indian Creek Plaza, Caldwell: Dec. 1 at noon

• The Village, Meridian: Dec. 15 at noon

Visit givingmachinesidaho.com for more information.