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Former New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera talks about the Giving Machines at the Lincoln Center location in New York City on December 1, 2022. Photo courtesy of Mike Gambino, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.
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By Mary Richards, Church News
Mariano Rivera is regarded as one of the most dominant relievers in Major League Baseball history. Now, the hall of famer gives relief to thousands of children through the Mariano Rivera Foundation. Again this year, New Yorkers have the opportunity to help this effort through the Giving Machines.
Rivera spent 19 seasons with the New York Yankees and has long been involved in charitable causes around the United States, his native Panama and other countries, helping youth from impoverished families gain educational opportunities.
He is also a man of great faith, and he believes in the importance of working together to help God’s children. That’s why he says he feels so blessed to work with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Together, we can accomplish great things,” Rivera told the Church News this week.
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Mariano Rivera shows off the Giving Machine at Lincoln Center in New York City on December 1, 2022. The Mariano Rivera Foundation is one of the charitable organizations that benefits from people’s donations at the machines for the second year in a row. Photo courtesy of Mike Gambino, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.
The New York Giving Machines
“The Bible tells us giving is better than receiving,” Rivera said. “When you give from your heart, not waiting to receive something in return, that’s the greatest gift. We believe that and we do that.”
The red Giving Machines — located at Lincoln Center and Rockefeller Center in New York City — allow for that opportunity to give to others.
Giving Machines are like vending machines, but people buy something to give to someone else instead of for themselves through a donation to a participating nonprofit organization. The Mariano Rivera Foundation is one of the participating charities for the second year in a row.
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From left, Larry Weiss, board member from the Mariano Rivera Foundation; Brian Stokes Mitchell, chairman of the board, Entertainment Community Fund; Luz Tavarez, director, public and Community Engagement, Archdiocese of New York; Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president, The New York Board of Rabbis; Elder David L. Buckner, Area Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Michael J. Nyenhuis, president and CEO, UNICEF USA; and Jill Clark, chief development officer for UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, at the opening of the Giving Machines at Lincoln Center in New York City on November 29, 2022. Photo courtesy of Mike Gambino, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.
“There’s an opportunity right there in the city for all New Yorkers to help others, including children. It’s there for everybody to give to a great cause,” Rivera said.
This year, the Giving Machines expanded to 28 locations around the United States and the world. Since the effort began in 2017, total contributions have reached more than US$15 million. The Church covers the operational costs, meaning charity organizations receive 100% of the funds collected.
Giving Back
The morning that Rivera spoke to the Church News, he had just come from the store, where he said a man approached him to thank him for the bags and school supplies he had received from the Mariano Rivera Foundation at a time when he was struggling to help his family.
“It was maybe 10 years ago, maybe more. He remembered it like it happened today,” Rivera said. “That’s what it is all about, just trying to change the life of one person, one family.”
A few years ago, Rivera met Elder David L. Buckner, an Area Seventy for the Church in New York. “We clicked just like that,” Rivera said. They’ve been in contact ever since, helping each other to help those in need.
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Mariano Rivera and Elder David L. Buckner, Area Seventy, stand in front of the Lincoln Center Giving Machines in New York City on December 1, 2022. Photo courtesy of Mike Gambino, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.
Elder Buckner said: “As President Dallin H. Oaks taught during October 2022 general conference, there are a great many people of all faiths and no faith doing good in the world today. Mariano Rivera is one of them. It is inspiring to see how his deeply held faith in God has motivated him to make a difference in meaningful ways. It’s been a blessing to contribute in a small way to the good work that he and his team are doing.”
In February 2020, Rivera received the Visionary Leadership Award at the New York Latter-day Saint Professional Association’s annual banquet at the Riverside Church in Manhattan.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was the keynote speaker, saying of Rivera: “He has donated 10% of his baseball salary to the foundation, plus all of his substantial earnings from endorsement deals. The Giving Back Fund ranked him 25th on its list of most-generous celebrity donors. When you think of all the celebrities around, that is quite an achievement.”
This Christmastime, through donations at the Giving Machines or giving in any other way, people can really make a difference in others’ lives, Rivera said.
“Give back, especially in times like this. Give back to those in need. Children especially depend on us. Together we can accomplish a lot of things. If you haven’t given back yet, now is a great time to give to those in need.”
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Mariano Rivera (center), a 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, receives the Visionary Leadership Award from the New York Latter-day Saint Professional Association on February 27, 2020. Rivera is accompanied by, from left to right, Amy Freeze, a local television meteorologist and emcee of the event; Elder David L. Buckner, an Area Seventy; Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Elder Allen D. Haynie, a General Authority Seventy.2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
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