“The Love Machine” Brings Interactive Charitable Giving to Holiday Valley
A unique donation vending machine lets skiers and visitors give back while enjoying the holiday season at Holiday Valley.
photo / @holidayvalley
ELLICOTTVILLE - The skiing is great and now you can help make a difference at the same time. The "Love Machine" is a charitable giving vending machine that will be located at Holiday Valley’s Main Chalet during the Christmas week from December 23, 2025 through January 3, 2026.
Instead of snacks, the machine dispenses donation tiles, allowing users to make credit card or Apple Pay donations to one of 24 Western New York nonprofits. Each nonprofit sets the donation amount for its tile. The machine looks like an ordinary vending machine, but get close and you will find something very important. Instead of candy bars and coffee, the machine helps some very important charitable organizations.
The Conor J. Casey Foundation launched The Love Machine, a donation-based vending machine this month receiving a huge response. With a simple tap, shoppers can support one of 24 local nonprofits working to provide assistance and help fight food insecurity across Western New York. The Bob McCarthy Foundation and Interfaith Caregivers who operate the Medical Loan Centers in Olean and Ellicottville are two local organizations who will benefit from this unique program.
“This is the giving machine that our foundation has already placed at the Lexington Co-Op and Kleinhans Music Hall for the Holiday Pops series,” said Collin Casey of the Conor J. Casey Foundation. “Our foundation focuses on fighting food insecurity, so we have 24 local nonprofits you can give to, with donation options ranging from $20 to $40, which go directly to the nonprofits.”
Whether selecting a “bag of groceries” or funding a specific community need, donors simply choose a tile on the touchscreen and pay with a card or mobile tap. One $25 donation, Casey noted, helps the McCarthy Foundation provide a quiet helping hand to individuals or families in need in the Ellicottville area.
Casey said donation tiles vended vary widely, from providing hand tools for a community garden to feeding a senior citizen for a day.
“We all see what’s happening in the community,” Casey said. “The need is there. Sometimes it’s not until it’s right in front of you, right after you grab a coffee or buy your lift ticket, that you realize how much of an impact your money can make locally.”
The Love Machine won’t stay in one place for long. It’s scheduled to travel across Western New York, making stops from Buffalo to Ellicottville as the foundation continues its mission to bring charitable giving directly into everyday spaces. Thanks to the generosity of Holiday Valley, you have the opportunity to see this unique donation idea live. It’s fun and it helps in times of need.
Great news just announced! All donations made in December will be matched by the Conor J. Casey Foundation, so get out there and ski the Valley and make your donation count!