The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints provides many forms of relief and humanitarian service through their church organization with programs including supplying needy countries with clothes, clean water, and useful resources, charities, volunteer programs for working in country relief aid, humanitarian service, and work programs, as well as the option of donation programs like the thrift store known as Deseret Industries.

LDS Humanitarian Center:

LDS Humanitarian Center - Salt Lake City

    The LDS Humanitarian Center, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, provides many venues for the processing of new and donated items to be shipped out for country aid, volunteer opportunities, and free workforce training for refugees and immigrants to be prepared for work and life in the United States. The supplies that are shipped out include clothing, hygienic materials, school kits for elementary age children, medical supplies, and quilts and blankets.

     "In a typical year, the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center will ship about 8 million pounds of shoes and clothing, 500,000 hygiene and school kits, and 20,000 quilts to relieve suffering in more than 50 countries," (http://www.lds.org/topics/humanitarian-service/center?lang=eng).

Volunteers at the LDS Humanitarian Center assembling school and medical kits

For more information, tour schedules, and volunteer opportunities contact:

Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center

1665 Bennett Road

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Phone: (801) 240-5954

Email: humanitariancenter@ldschurch.org

Welfare Square:

"Welfare Square" wheat silo

     The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints also provides means of welfare in food processing for those in need also known as Welfare Square. These centers provide many volunteer opportunities in canning food, organizing food products, and baking breads for bishop storehouses and other relief projects. A bishop storehouse is a type of food market where those in need can get their basic supply of food items at no cost to them. These centers are funded by the church's Fast Offerings program where members can donate money to go towards other's foods needs.

Canning Oats for the Church Welfare Program

For contact, tours, and volunteer opportunities:

Welfare Square Canning

780 West 800 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Phone: (801) 240-4872

Deseret Industries:

     Deseret Industries is a thrift store chain run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It provides a donation center for those willing to give items like clothing, toys, and material goods to relief aid and store stock. Deseret Industries also provides work training opportunities and jobs for those in need of jobs in the United States. What doesn't get sent off to centers like the Humanitarian Relief Center for distribution to needy families across the world, will be put into the Thrift Store where all purchases go towards humanitarian relief and job training.

Deseret Industries Thrift Store

Deseret Industries also provides volunteer opportunities. To volunteer, contact your local Deseret Industries store and/or talk to your local LDS bishop to find these opportunities to volunteer for the store, stock room, and donation center.