Downtown Summerlin celebrates season of giving

The holidays at Downtown Summerlin represent the season of giving, with three charitable activations that encourage visitors and patrons to pay it forward.

The Giving Machine, the Santa Chalet and Lights for Flights provide community members the opportunity to make donations to local, national and global nonprofits.

The Giving Machine, the popular “vending machine” that works in reverse by giving users an opportunity to purchase a variety of much-needed items for local and global charities via the swipe of a credit or debit card, returned to Downtown Summerlin this month where it remains through Jan. 1.

On Tuesday, Las Vegas Aces team member and 2023 WNBA champion Kiah Stokes headlined an event to mark Giving Tuesday at the #LightTheWorld Giving Machine. Arriving in grand style with help from the Palo Verde marching band, Stokes made a ceremonial donation to “tip-off” the holiday giving season.

Las Vegans can make donations at The Giving Machine by purchasing items for local nonprofits that range from $5 to $250 and include staples such as groceries, eye exams and glasses, hygiene items, warm clothing and on-the-job training. For the global charities, items include chickens, goats, pigs, community wells, clubfoot braces and solar panels.

Local nonprofit beneficiaries this year include The Just One Project, Communities In Schools Southern Nevada, Baby’s Bounty and Opportunity Village. Global nonprofits include Church World Service, Clubfoot Solutions and WaterAid.

Now, in its sixth year, the #LightTheWorld Giving Machines, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, started in 2017 and has raised more than $22 million for local and global charities. This year, the machines will be in 53 cities worldwide, including Las Vegas. Last year at Downtown Summerlin, $559,535 was donated by more than 18,000 visitors. Of that total, $342,532 was donated to support five local nonprofits, and $217,003 was donated to two global nonprofits.

The Santa Chalet, presented by Tri Pointe Homes and located in the Macy’s Promenade, is open daily through Dec. 24 and presents the opportunity to support the work of Goodie Two Shoes Foundation, which provides free shoes, socks and other supplies to thousands of children in Las Vegas. For every letter to Santa received at the Tri Pointe Homes Santa Chalet, Howard Hughes, developer of Summerlin, will donate $1 to the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation.

And returning this year is Lights for Flights — a fun activation featuring seven giant lighted words spread throughout Downtown Summerlin: LOVE, JOY, HOPE, PEACE, SOAR, MIRACLE and I LOVE YOU.

The perfect holiday background for Instagram-worthy holiday moments, the signs are sponsored to generate awareness and funds for Las Vegas-based national nonprofit Miracle Flights, which provides free commercial flights to children who need aid to reach life-changing medical care not available in their local communities. Guests have an opportunity to donate to Miracle Flights through QR codes on each sign.

Now in its 33rd year of development, Summerlin offers more amenities than any other Southern Nevada community, including 300-plus parks of all sizes; 200-plus miles of interconnected trails; resident-exclusive community centers; 10 golf courses; 26 public, private and charter schools; a public library and performing arts center; Summerlin Hospital Medical Center; houses of worship representing a dozen different faiths; office parks; and neighborhood shopping centers.

Downtown Summerlin offers fashion, dining, entertainment, Red Rock Resort and Class-A office buildings. City National Arena is home of the Vegas Golden Knights practice facility. The Las Vegas Ballpark is a world-class Triple-A baseball stadium.

Summerlin offers over 100 floor plans in over 20 neighborhoods throughout eight distinct villages and districts. Homes, built by many of the nation’s top homebuilders, are available in a variety of styles — from single-family homes to town homes, priced from the $400,000s to more than $1 million.

For information on all actively selling neighborhoods, visit Summerlin.com. Before you visit any new Summerlin neighborhood, call the homebuilder to check on hours of operation. Phone numbers for each neighborhood are on Summerlin.com.