Deseret Industries (D.I.) (Â (Â listen)) is a non-profit organization and a division of Welfare Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It includes a chain of retail thrift stores and work projects. Deseret Industries thrift stores are similar to the well-known Goodwill Industries. They are generally located in areas where LDS Church membership is strong, with a total of 46 stores in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. As with other thrift stores, people donate items they no longer need, such as furniture, appliances, computers, and clothing, which the store then sells. Deseret Industries also sells new furniture, much of it received directly from its own manufacturing plant in Salt Lake City. Deseret Industries provides job skill training for the physically, emotionally and socially challenged and places them into private sector employment. In 1989 over 700 people were placed in private jobs.
Outreach
As a welfare entity, Deseret Industries provides useful goods at low cost to the public, as well as clothing and other items for humanitarian efforts throughout the world. Some of the donated goods are given to people in the community upon recommendation of the local bishop, in the event of a disaster such as a fire or flood. Revenue is used to support other LDS Church Welfare Services organizations and programs throughout the world.
Deseret Industries provides work training and rehabilitation opportunities for people referred by an LDS bishop. Because employment at Deseret Industries is considered rehabilitative training rather than a career, employment normally does not last longer than 18 months.
Membership in the LDS Church is not required for training at Deseret Industries. However, the local bishop must sign an endorsement to receive training and services.
Purpose
Deseret Industries provides an opportunity to learn new skills, earn money to help support the employee and his or her family, and receive help finding a suitable job when ready. Those in training are called associates. Some associates have disabilities or are elderly, making it difficult to get jobs at other places. The goal of Deseret Industries, as noted by their slogan People Helping People Help Themselves, is to encourage trainees to be self-reliant and become employable in the job market with goals to leave training and enter the job market.
In addition to trainees, there are full-time staff with titles including Store Manager, Assistant Store Manager, Job Coach Trainer, and Development Counselor.
Trainees of Deseret Industries do not receive benefits such as retirement, medical coverage, or vacation. They do, however, allow sick leave after a certain amount of hours have been spent at the job. Deseret Industries notes that this is the case because its goal is to prepare them for the workplace and encourage them to work in the community.
Deseret Industries work in conjunction with Development Counseling Services. Development Counseling Services assists Church leaders as they empower individuals and families in overcoming barriers that prevent them from achieving long-term self-reliance. Development counselors are licensed professionals who work closely with the individual, their Church leaders, mentors and family members.
Services
Career and Technical Education
Deseret Industries partner with community colleges, applied technology centers, and other institutions that offer training courses in accounting, information technology, health care, and other trade areas.
Business Partnerships
Deseret Industries provide help in an associate's chosen career through an internship-type experience at a business who is in partnership with the organization. The partnerships are essentially a 'trial period' in which the associates are paid through DI to develop skills and show their capabilities.
Community Partnerships and Grants
Deseret Industries strive to reach out to local communities by partnering with community agencies to assist those whom they serve and provide service opportunities for groups and individuals.
Humanitarian Aid
Items not sold in the stores are sent off for humanitarian relief.
In popular culture
- In the film Napoleon Dynamite, Napoleon buys his suit at a Deseret Industries store in Preston, Idaho, where he lives.
See also
- Charity shop
- Welfare Square
- Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution
References
External links
- Deseret Industries Home Page
- Article on Deseret Industries (Light Planet)
