Transcript

Hi, it's Kristen here with LDS Charities. And today we're here again with Michelle Nunn, who is the CEO of CARE. And Michelle, thank you so much for coming today. I'm so happy to be here again. It's great to be with you. So we're walking here in downtown Salt Lake, right outside of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. And right now this building is particularly exciting because we have these vending machines for the Light the World campaign, and there is a vending machine specifically for CARE. So what a unique way for people to give back, right? It's so exciting, and just to see--there are literally lines for the vending machine. And instead of getting something, you're actually giving something. And I think that people are so excited to be able to participate in that way in this season and to know that they're actually giving something that's meaningful and that can make a difference in someone's life. And it's immediate, but they also know that it's sustainable and it can make a difference around the world. I mean, every time I'm in there, there are some unique things you can buy in the vending machine. And I keep hearing people talk about the goats, but they probably don't know exactly--what does a goat do for a family, and where are these goats going? Yeah, so CARE has programs in 94 different countries around the world. And yeah, people don't necessarily think of a goat coming from a vending machine. And obviously, it's a symbolic goat in there. But it is so important for a family, for instance, to have access to a goat. You think about what that does for the family--nutritious milk for the family and for kids, the capacity for them to sell the milk, for instance, and to earn money for livelihoods. And then it's also an opportunity for them to trade, over time, if they need that. And it reproduces. So it's a sustainable gift that has the capacity to help a family lift themselves up. So here's another question I have. So a goat's one of those really fun items in there. There's a bunch of other things, like school shoes and chickens. How do you guys pick what's going to make the most impact that someone can give someone else? Well, I think these are all representative of the tools that people need to lift themselves up out of, often, extreme poverty. So in some instances, it might be medication. In some instances, it's the chickens. In another instance, it might be the goats or, as you said, shoes. But they're all specific items that really are used in CARE's work around the world, again, to support families. Again, what CARE's about is helping support individuals, families, communities to lift themselves up out of poverty and to sustainably have long-term change. It's so amazing, and that's part of why, obviously, our partnership works so well, because you guys have some really wonderful, sustainable goals. So we're going to step inside here and actually let you use one of the vending machines. I'm thrilled. This is your first time seeing them. Yeah, it is. We'll sneak in here and see what we can find in here. Let's see. So the other part I'll mention quickly is, of course, we have several vending machines that are going to help different organizations. So we have one for the Utah Food Bank. This one's actually just free suggestions of service, which is neat. And then, of course, so here we have the CARE vending machine. Yes, with chickens and goats and personal first aid kits and socks. So I am so excited to be able to actually try this out myself and to participate in the way that literally thousands of other people have participated already. Yes. In fact, just speaking of the goats, I think today, we've done 1,300 goats. And I'm sure there'll be lots more by the time these leave this building. But they've gone crazy having to restock this thing constantly. So I have to go with the favorite, which I understand has been the goat. It has been the goat. I think people have been really excited about that one.

Let's see if it might just take a second here. Oh, there we go. And there it goes. That's amazing. And then it drops right into your donations there. It's so great. And it is a perfect manifestation of the fact that it can be really easy to make a very big difference in someone's life. And it can be a little bit fun too sometimes. And it can be totally fun. We've had lines. You said that you waited 45 minutes. I waited 45 minutes here the other day because so many people are excited about these vending machines. And we're excited for your partnership with us on this, and it's just been a wonderful success. And we've been very, very pleased. Well, we're thrilled. And it's such a creative way of capturing the spirit of the season and, I think, inviting people in to participate in standing in solidarity with people around the world and being a part of giving something that's greater than yourself. And it's so fun because when you all did this and you gave people the opportunity to get something from a vending machine or to give, it was overwhelming that people wanted to give. And that's what this season's about. You see what people are really capable of, right? So it's really been amazing. And we are so grateful for all the other things we've been able to work on this year with you guys and all the future projects that LDS Charities and CARE will do together, so thank you for that. Well, together already, just in this last year, we've supported and made a difference in 200,000 people's lives in 13 different countries, and often in the most difficult places, places like Yemen and Syria and South Sudan. And so we are incredibly grateful to, first, standing with people who are at their most vulnerable but that are also ready to stand on their own two feet and just need a little bit of a helping hand. That's amazing. Michelle, thank you so much for being with us today and for coming and checking out the vending machines. It's so fun. It's really great to be here. If you guys want to know more about either LDS Charities or CARE, feel free to check out our Facebook pages or visit the link in the description.

Behind the Scenes—CARE Vending Machine Visit

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Michelle Nunn, the CEO of CARE, comes to visit the Light the World vending machines that have been stationed in Salt Lake City.
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