This holiday season, Cherry Creek North’s Winter Wanderland will feature a giving experience with all the thrill of instant gratification and none of the calories: Giving Machines, located at the Holiday Market entrance on 2nd Avenue and Fillmore Street, offer 24/7 opportunities to support local and international charities. Just like a vending machine—but far more meaningful—you can select an item, swipe your card, and watch as your donation is dropped into a bin, visually stacking up alongside others in a growing display of holiday goodwill.
At a Denver Giving Machine, you can give directly to five Colorado-based charities, each with a unique mission. Canine Partners of the Rockies trains service dogs for individuals with disabilities and places therapy dogs in settings where their presence can make a significant difference, such as hospitals and crisis centers. The Children’s Diabetes Foundation provides assistance to families at risk of homelessness, offering temporary shelter, job training, and financial literacy resources. Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains helps refugees rebuild their lives through legal support, school enrollment, and housing assistance, while Mile High United Way mobilizes the community to drive lasting change with programs that bolster school readiness and support families toward self-sufficiency.
Two international charities—iDE and Days for Girls—are also represented. iDE collaborates across sectors to develop sustainable solutions to poverty in Africa, Asia, and Central America, while Days for Girls works to end menstrual stigma, empowering women and girls with essential health supplies for better education and job opportunities.
With over 30 donation items available, including a $30 gift for therapy supplies for Canine Partners or $10 for training treats, the Giving Machines make it possible to spread holiday warmth to those who need it most. And if you’re inspired to keep giving, these machines are popping up in more than 100 cities across the country this year, so there’s no shortage of chances to “light the world” with small but impactful acts of kindness.
