Two upcoming holiday charity events will directly support food assistance programs serving Philomath families and students with opportunities for community members to contribute through early December. The Light the World Giving Machine at Valley River Center in Eugene and a separate Light the World community event in Corvallis will both benefit local programs.
The Giving Machine, which opens Saturday and runs through Dec. 14, allows shoppers to purchase donations ranging from $5 to $150 that go directly to participating nonprofits. Among the beneficiaries is Linn Benton Food Share, which distributes food to Philomath Community Services.
All donations made through the Giving Machine go in full to the participating nonprofit agencies. The machines, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, accept debit and credit cards as well as mobile payments. Last year, the machines raised more than $60,000 for organizations across Lane County and around the world. This year, patrons can also donate to organizations serving Benton, Linn and Douglas counties.
The Corvallis Light the World event on Dec. 6-7 will include a service project to assemble 300 weekend food kits for children in Benton County. Those kits will support the Philomath School District’s Weekend Food Pack program, which provides food to students who need it over the weekend.
The Corvallis event, to be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 4141 NW Harrison Blvd., will feature community concerts, service projects and a nativity puppet show. All events are free and open to the public.
Additional service projects at the event will include making 500 toy cars for youth, assembling fleece blankets for Jackson Street Youth Shelter and Vina Moses, and preparing personal care item kits.
The Dec. 6 schedule includes a community service project from 1-3 p.m., puppet shows at 1:30, 2 and 2:30 p.m., and a concert from 6-8 p.m. On Dec. 7, a concert will run from 2-4 p.m.
The event will also highlight five local charities and five global charities.
Those interested in volunteering for the Corvallis event can sign up by the Nov. 20 deadline. An Amazon registry for donating items for the service project is available online.
The Giving Machine will be located near Center Court at Valley River Center, near Kay Jewelers.