At Deseret Industries, every donation and purchase makes a difference. In 2024, your generosity helped us further our mission and support individuals in building better lives. 

With every box of donated goods, we’ve turned your generosity into opportunities for improving workplace skills and behaviors. With every bag of purchased items, we’ve given donations a new home, promoting sustainability and reducing waste. 

As we reflect on the past year, let’s explore what we accomplished thanks to our staff, associates, donors, shoppers, and volunteers. 

Donated Goods

Last year, we received an incredible 3,800,393 donated loads. A donated load could be a single teddy bear or an entire truckload of stuffed animals, so you can only imagine the vast number of items generously contributed across our 46 stores.  

By donating to Deseret Industries, you reduce waste and provide affordable purchasing options for the local community. Your efforts, combined with the donations of others, support the DI job training program and make our mission a reality. 

Thrifted Goods 

Another way individuals supported our mission was by shopping at our various locations. In 2024, we sold 43,755,552 items. To put this number into perspective, it’s as if every single person in the state of California—including babies—purchased an item from DI. 

All proceeds from these sales were put back into our job training program, ensuring that our associates have access to resources and training needed to prepare them for future employment. 

Recycled Goods 

When donated items can’t be used, we do our best to dispose of them responsibly. Last year, we recycled 78,927,415 pounds of goods—the equivalent of nearly 500,000 people (or 6,000 elephants, if you’re more of an animal person).  

With the help of associates at the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center, who process excess donations from DI as part of their job training, we kept millions of items out of landfills. Our recycling program includes clothing, textiles, electronics, metals, books, and more.

Items Manufactured 

Did you know that Deseret Industries sells new items? These furniture and sleep products are made at Deseret Manufacturing—an employment training facility that is a part of Deseret Industries. 

In 2024, our associates at Deseret Manufacturing produced 72,063 news items, allowing them to learn marketable skills in carpentry, manufacturing, and distribution. 

Community Grants 

At Deseret Industries, we consistently seek ways to support humanitarian aid efforts and address local needs. Many of these needs are met through bishops’ orders and community grants, which provide individuals with access to clothing and essential household goods. 

Last year, we filled 9,429 community grants, demonstrating how your donations are used for good in each community where we are located.

Job Training 

The purpose of Deseret Industries is to provide people with valuable job skills to obtain better employment and improve their lives. As such, our associates are at the heart of everything we do. We offer personalized training under the guidance of a job coach, along with additional counseling and support for overcoming employment obstacles and building a secure future. 

In 2024, we were able to help 10,809 associates through the DI job training program. These individuals are the friendly faces you see when you drop off your donations or when you purchase items in our stores. 

The Bigger Picture 

The mission of Deseret Industries is closely aligned with the mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church supports efforts to help people all over the world improve their circumstances and create better lives for themselves.  

One way the Church accomplishes this is by prioritizing employment, providing opportunities and resources through Deseret Industries, Deseret Manufacturing, the Humanitarian Center, and Employment Services. 

You can learn more about these initiatives and other welfare, self-reliance, and humanitarian efforts of the Church in the Caring for Those in Need 2024 Summary. Explore how these resources are making a difference for individuals across the globe by reading the Caring Summary visiting the Caring website.