The donation of clothing, household items, books, furniture, electronics and a whole host of other interesting and useful used items is what makes the Deseret Industries training program possible. The sale of these items generates revenue, but that’s just one aspect of what happens in the lives of people in our community because of donations. Here are the ways donations help.

1. On-the-job Training Experiences for Associates
2. Wages and Schooling for Associates
3. Quality Goods for Those in Need
4. The Thrill of Thrifting
5. Humanitarian Efforts
6. Environmental Sustainability

1. On-the-job Training Experiences for Associates

2. Wages and Schooling for Associates

The sale of donated items pays the hourly wages of associates. Associates are paid a competitive entry-level wage while they receive important on-the-job training. During their time at DI, associates have opportunities to advance and even become team leaders. As they advance, they receive pay increases.

The proceeds also help associates enroll in vocational schooling, certification programs, or other training that helps them prepare for their future. Each associate meets with a development counselor to discuss their career opportunities, set goals, and if needed, identify additional schooling to achieve those goals. Using the funds generated through sales, development counselors help many of the associates you see working in our stores to enroll in the educational opportunities that will prepare them for their next job.

3. Quality Goods for Those in Need

Your donations allow individuals in the community to receive commodities without cost to them. Through bishops’ orders or community grants, individuals or families can select needed items. Based on needs, recipients can select furniture and household goods to furnish a home or an apartment or items needed to clothe themselves and their family, such as shoes, shirts, and pants.

4. The Thrill of Thrifting

Many in the community take advantage of purchasing quality goods at a low cost. There are a lot of reasons people choose to shop secondhand. For some families, shopping secondhand is a great way to stretch their budget. For college students, thrifting is an inexpensive way to furnish a dorm room. For teens, finding vintage t-shirts and hoodies helps create a unique wardrobe. For many, thrifting makes sense when trying to make wise financial choices. Others feel thrifting is a good way to help protect the environment. Many people choose to thrift because they enjoy the thrill of finding unique items. Treasure hunters, bargain shoppers, and DIYers all benefit from donations.

5. Humanitarian Efforts

Surplus clothing items and shoes are transported from the stores to the Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City. There they are sorted by size, gender, and climate and packaged in 100-pound bales. These bales can then be shipped to communities that have humanitarian needs.

6. Environmental Sustainability

When you donate items to DI, you help keep those items in use and reduce the number of goods that end up in landfills. When items are not sold in our stores, we make every effort to recycle. In 2022 alone, DI recycling efforts kept roughly 73 million tons of metal, clothing, electronics, books, and other materials from going into landfills.