Storehouse

   C and I were planning to drive to Stillwater to walk around a bit when his cell phone rang.  Someone needed a ride to the Bishop's Storehouse to pick up some food and other needed items. We quickly changed our plans.
   I was a little excited about this turn of events. I had never been to the Storehouse before. There had been opportunities for people to volunteer at the store house, but I was always working when those opportunities came up. C had helped out there several times in the past and once a couple of weeks ago. I was finally going to get to see this place for myself.
  I had read about how the Storehouses of today came into being a few years ago. I was interested in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although there were always provisions in place to help those in need, it did not become a standardized program until the time of the Great Depression. At that time church leaders were concerned about members accepting government relief. They felt that giving someone something without requiring them to work or do something to earn what they'd been given could lead to a sense of entitlement and idleness. The phrase that I came across in my reading was "the evils of the dole".
  The Church welfare plan was developed to help members meet their basic needs while also allowing them to be self reliant. The Church started to acquire land where crops of various sorts were grown. Members worked on these farms and the goods produced would be given to the workers and others in need.
  When we got to the Storehouse, I saw someone I know. Her office is in the Storehouse. When I told her that I'd never been to one before she gave me a tour. There was a large freezer for meat and other frozen foods, an equally large refrigerator for dairy foods and a place for the storage of produce. There was a large open area that had pallets of cereal, canned goods, toilet paper, diapers, toothbrushes and other dry goods. Some of the items are still manufactured by Church owned and operated facilities and some of them are purchased in large amounts from various manufacturers.
   Members in need work with the leaders of their wards to determine what is needed. An order is transmitted to the Storehouse. The person in need then goes to the storehouse. It is set up like a small grocery store. The person goes and picks up the items on their list. Those receiving help from the Storehouse are encouraged to do some form of service in return for the help they receive.
  The storehouse is staffed by volunteers and Church Service missionaries. They stock supplies and help people who are receiving items. At our Storehouse, a truck goes out once a week to deliver food and supplies to those living in the northern and southern Minnesota. A male church member rides along with the truck driver to help him unload food and do the paperwork associated with the deliveries.
  These supplies do not go only to church members. Storehouse goods can be distributed to the community at large as needed. The LDS church has donated supplies to victims of natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey. Through LDS Charities supplies are sent around the world along with helping local people to grow and preserve food, providing medical care and helping with other community projects. One of the best known examples of Church produced supplies being sent overseas was after World War II. The war caused massive devastation in Europe and many were in need. Church President George Albert Smith met with President Harry S. Truman to get help from the government to ship the supplies that had been gathered. The supplies were sent two months after the meeting along with Ezra Taft Benson to oversee their distribution.
   On the first Sunday of every month, Church members fast for two meals. The money that would have been spent on those meals is given to the Church to help the needy. I believe that the money is used for the Storehouse. I was glad to get the chance to see how those funds are used.
Information for this column was taken from various  sources at LDS.org and Wikipedia. If I've made any mistakes in the what I've written please let me know.