Deseret Industries (D.I.) is a non-profit organization and a division of the Welfare Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It includes a chain of retail thrift stores and work projects operated by the program. Deseret Industries thrift stores are similar to the well-known Goodwill. They are generally located in areas where LDS Church membership is strong, such as in Utah and Idaho; there are a total of 46 stores in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. As with all other thrift stores, people donate items they no longer have use for, such as furniture, appliances, computers and clothing. In addition to donations, Deseret Industries also sells new furniture, much of it received from its 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.
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Since it is a welfare entity, Deseret Industries provides useful goods at low cost to the public, and also provides 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. The revenue generated through sales of donations 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 a bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because employment at Deseret Industries is considered rehabilitative training rather than a career, employment typically does not last longer than 18 months.
The opportunity to train at Deseret Industries is open to members of the LDS Church as well as others, as long as they are dependable and live the standards of the church, including those concerning morality, behavior and dress.
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. Many trainees are handicapped or 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, Retail Processing Coordinator, Job Coach Trainer, and Rehabilitation Personnel.
Trainees of Deseret Industries do not receive benefits such as retirement, medical coverage, vacation, or sick leave (except for the above-mentioned full-time professional staff). 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 hires LDS and non-LDS applicants. In order to work for Deseret Industries, the local LDS bishop of the area of the applicant's residence must sign an endorsement, regardless of the applicant's religious affiliation.
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