Reader comments
LDS Church assists the needy with 'best food money can't buy'

The Church Welfare System is an inspired and essential programme.

It amazes me it always appears to members and others who see articles like this that everyone who needs this within the church never goes without or is never turned away. The fact is, most Bishops will not ok a member using these benefits until all other resources have long since been used up, so many who use it have already lost their home or gone without for many weeks before they ever see these shelves. This isn't a complaint about the system, it IS an inspired program and is run with love. But it doesn't keep members from experiencing going without, and struggling severely for extended periods of time.

Living in California and reading this very positive article warms my heart.
The Lord truely loves all of us, regardless of our political, social or religious
beliefs.

i agree with 'A little deceiving" that it does take time before people ever see these "shelves". You don't just waLk into one of these places without a bishops refferrsl.

We must remember that the purpose of the Welfare System is to maintain life...not a life style. I understand that in many cases the Bishop will ask that all non-essential expenses be eliminated as a cost cutting measure while aid is being give. I think this helps the indivudal understand what is a necessity and what is a luxury...not always an easy distinction in our wealthy society. God bless the Welfare system.

I AM SO GREatfol to the church and there help if i didnt have the help. the relief socity president keeps it so confidental. i am so glad the lord has the welfare program not only the food but desert industry as well. i am not ashamed and neither is my family. i am so thank you for running this article

To " a little deceiving, Over a long life of membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I have had on occasion had to ask my Bishop for assistance during times of severe distress. It has never been long in coming. I have received counsel on how to prepare and protect my family and myself from repeatedly needing this assistance which I certainly commend and heartily recommend to any folks in similar circumstances. Whether assistance came as employment assistance, a working vehicle from the local junk yard or food when we needed to relocate halfway across the country at our own expense, the help we needed was supplied in ways that respected our personal integrity and fed our souls. The friendship and compassion that permeates this Church is truly amazing. We have traveled to many different places in the world in the course of our employment and that friendship and compassion can be found where ever "two or three are gathered in His Name".

Hey Bishop - I can't make my $6,000 mortgage payment. If you don't help us we'll be homeless.....

Maybe this is the lesson the Lord intended for that family. I'm sure nobody died of starvation.

how does one find these places for help ? we just lost our home in lv and am living with friends in a small house and we are hurting we are not members of the morman church but would like to get famaliar with the morman religion can some body please tell me how to be blessed thank you laurie

As a member of the Church, the doctrine that the Lord cares about our physical well-being makes me happy. It gives whole new meaning to the phrase, "Give us this day our daily bread." We can probably all do better at being grateful for what we have.

a little deceiving I don�t know where you get your info but you are wrong, I�ve seen the program in action, I know how it works and what the Bishop go�s through to insure that "only" the needy get help.
1. You are asked if there are any family members who can help.
2. The Bishop over your finance with you. (There are those who do try to take advantage of the program)
3. Then the Bishop decides on how much help the member needs.

I know because IV have had a need for help a few times over the past 26 years. Not the whole 26 years just on occasions and was glad it was there. When I was kid I would go with my dad to the church welfare farm and help out, IV even helped at the cannery and store house so I do know how it works, no one starves that I have ever seen.

MANY NEED SPECIAL HELP IN THE CHURCH. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

To Laurie - go to LDS.org or look in your local phone book

Serving as a ward clerk (or asst. clerk) gives one insight into who and how often people receive help from the Church. It would be "deceiving" to imply that someone needs to be homeless before the Church helps. ALL the bishops I've worked with have been VERY generous and liberal with the resources at their disposal. There are probably exceptions out there, but I bet they are few and are far out numbered by those that err the other direction. Very often the whole story would probably vindicate the Bishop in cases where he might superficially appear to be stingy or hard-hearted. For example, people might ask for help but decline to fullfil the service that the Bishop asks for and thus they decline the help as well.

This program is the One Program I admire most about the Church. That some of the Money given actually goes back to the Members of the Church through various programs to include this one.

I think a Church with its own Welfare System, Family Service, and Food Label is truly outstanding.

Rhis is almost unheard in other Churches where the Tithe Money goes to pay staff and build larger buildings.

When you bring your Tithe to the Store House you deserve to get something back besides We Will Pray For You.

The Bishops I have known have been very responsive to the needs of the people.

This is Organization and networking and helping one another and that is what God wants us to do.

To Laurie,
Since you have internet access I think the fastest way is to go to Mormon.org and go to the "worship with us page" and then find out ward is nearest you. You might be able to call now, or wait until Sunday for meetings. There will probably be some people there on Tuesday or Wednesday night at the building you can contact.
I served a mission in Las Vegas and knew of several bishops who had worked out plans to extent aid to people who were not members of the church, some of which we were teaching.
Depending on your situation the church also has a program called Deseret Industries which aids people in developing skills for employment.
I am sure if you go to the ward on Sunday you can get some help, and if you go on Tuesday or Wednesday evening you have a good chance of meeting someone who can at least give you direction on what to do next.

As a bishop, the biggest problem I encountered was that people waited way too long to get help. The help I'm referring to is not necessarily the help from the Bishop's storehouse, but help from the Lord's storehouse - a much larger storehouse that provides skills, contacts, employment assistance, education, budgeting help, household management assistance, helping hands, compassion, and true doctrine. It's awesome to have resources to put out the fire of a crisis, but it is inspiring to see the constant miracles brought about by stretching to live true temporal and spiritual self reliance principles and then leaning upon the grace of our Lord who opens up the windows of heaven in so many different ways.

It is well established truth that people who are willing to make changes in their lives as well as take advantage of many different resources available, will find solutions to their problems with the Lord's help. Every bishop, however, will get a little teary thinking about those who only want bread or a rent payment. If we could better help people see how prosperity is governed, the bishop's storehouse would diminish as a small portion of the Lord's greater and more magnificent storehouse!

When I just read "a safety net for those in need provided by the 13 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", I thought that back in 2006 for a example there was a new figure of 14 million member's "world wide", not just here in America alone. So IF those figure's were wrong of 13 million members, I demand a correction. Those 13 million members on the first Sunday of the month have a fast and test meeting, and give what they were to spend on 2 meals to this fund. But not all gets it if they are in need. I know, I have been a member for over 1/2 century.

We lost our home too, because of some lying business partner I worked with, who as well caused our business to fail. We are "now" 39 years old and thought at this age we would be safe and set for life in our business. However, due to a lying fraudulent scammer who was also LDS , and WHO WE THOUGHT WAS OUR FRIEND turned out to be our worst enemy and caused us to loose our home. I say to everyone out there to be careful with "bad business partners". They can ruin your reputation, life and land you homeless, and possibly even in jail.

I have enjoyed all of the opportunities I have had to work in the LDS Welfare Program. Hooking up irrigation pipes in a foot of mud at the bottom of an eight foot trench was particularly fun. I have never had to use the system, but I am glad that it is there if I ever need it. The Bishops do a lot in administering the program, but their effectiveness would probably drop off by more than half without the help of the Relief Society president. Those good sisters are particularly effective at identifying the needs and appropriate response. And in case anyone is interested, the Church discretely circulates flyers on system "frauds" to conserve these consecrated resources for the truly needy. The government will never have a welfare program like this because you can't pay someone to do the job of the Bishop or Relief Society President.