Despite an anticipated downturn due to economic and inflation concerns, donors stepped up to keep the Orem Giving Machine’s 2024 donation amounts on par with its 2023 numbers.

As part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ “Light the World” campaign, the Orem chapter of the Giving Machines, located at University Place, saw approximately 75,000 visitors donate nearly 46,000 individual item cards to eight different charities during the Christmas season, a church spokesperson told the Daily Herald.

Mark Seastrand, the director of the Orem Giving Machines, touted the data as a success given the factors at play.

“More people are having a little difficulty giving, but the transactions were about the same as last year, and the dollar volumes were about the same as last year,” he said. “So we were quite pleased that it stayed pretty strong.”

Approximately 387,600 meals were donated to children, families, seniors and veterans. Community Action Services and Food Bank was the largest recipient, with 300,000 meals, while approximately 23,000 meals were donated to Meals on Wheels, which is a charity that supports senior hunger and isolation.

Seastrand’s team worked with Meals on Wheels for the first time last year.

Those donations come as food centers are facing a handful of challenges, such as greater demand from people in need, higher costs for protein items and a reduction in donations, according to Seastrand.

“It’s been hard,” he said. “I greatly admire the organizations that are working on some (solutions). They do a tremendous job, and somehow they found a way to keep on going. But it’s been a struggle this year.”

Several nonfood items were also donated that will support children and families in Utah County.

Through Eye Care 4 Kids, 6,100 prescription glasses and eye exams were given, 2,800 backpacks filled with school supplies for kids were donated through Tabitha’s Way and 3,600 kids with disabilities will receive equipment, therapy and other expert care through Kids on the Move.

Nine-hundred nights of life shelter or life-skills training will be provided to adults with mental illness or other disabilities through The Alpine House, and thanks to other donations, 600 mothers suffering from postpartum depression will receive treatment and 3,500 art classes or educational toys were provided.

Seastrand said 65% of donations stay local.

“We try to spread it around and pick organizations that offer some unique things for the community and that make a good, overall blended picture of what the community needs,” he said.

The Orem Giving Machines also partnered with two global nonprofits: American Red Cross and The Academy for Creating Enterprise.

Through the Red Cross, 32,000 vaccines for measles and rubella were given, while 7,100 pigs were donated through The Academy for Creating Enterprise to help families start a business and provide communities with food.

“We always get a lot of desire for chickens. People love to give chickens. That’s a fun thing,” Seastrand said. “And in the past, we’ve had chickens and goats. This year, we tried piglets to see how piglets would do, because in some parts of the country, piglets are a more desirable solution than some of the others. And we had almost 3,600 piglet pairs donated. So that’s a lot of pigs.”

The Orem Giving Machine is expected to return to University Place for 2025.

“You’ve got a location that people know where it’s at,” Seastrand said. “So it’s really easy for them to go. They know it’s there. University Place attracts a large regional audience from all over. It’s a great spot, and we really appreciate University Place. They’ve been so good to work with.”