The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints toured the Church’s new Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City, on Friday, May 22.
The center will be dedicated Wednesday, May 27, but the First Presidency — President Dallin H. Oaks and his counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson — got an inside look at the work that is already underway inside.
President Oaks said the center “will serve an important role in preparing and distributing emergency supplies to meet global needs.”
“I express appreciation for members of the Church and for all who minister in quiet and consistent ways,” President Oaks said. “I testify of Jesus Christ, whose Light and Spirit guide the children of God in caring for the poor and the distressed throughout the world.”
The Church works to follow Jesus Christ by embracing the two great commandments, to love God and love one’s neighbor.
“May we each accept and act upon this sacred responsibility to bless the lives of all of our Father’s children,” President Oaks said.
Humanitarian Center
The new 250,000-square-foot facility is located across the street from the previous site. It includes space for classrooms, donation processing and large-scale preparation of humanitarian supplies. According to a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, this will enhance the Church’s ability to serve those in need.
In the effort to serve God’s children, the Humanitarian Center has two main purposes: providing job training, language courses and employment counseling for individuals working to overcome employment barriers; and preparing and distributing charitable supplies for those in need around the world.
Associates at the center process donated goods received through Deseret Industries thrift stores. They sort and prepare these items for humanitarian use, recycle electronics and perform other work.
In 2025, 1,956 Deseret Industries and Humanitarian Center associates received job placements after receiving job training, 7,825 jobs were secured through Employment Services, 82.93 million pounds of materials were recycled through Deseret Industries and the Humanitarian Center, and 524,505 pounds of clothing and shoes were donated for humanitarian aid from Deseret Industries.
Members of the Church also volunteer at the Humanitarian Center, creating quilts and serving those in need in other ways.
Efforts at the Humanitarian Center date back to 1990, when Church leaders decided that surplus clothing from Deseret Industries donations would be given to those in need around the world. In 1991, a centralized sorting operation began in Salt Lake City. And in 1997, the center was renamed “Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center,” which later was changed to “Humanitarian Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
Dedication and open house
The Humanitarian Center is located at 1999 W. 1700 South in Salt Lake City. The new building will be dedicated in a private event May 27.
A public open house begins Monday, June 1, and runs through July 23. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
During tours, visitors can participate in hands-on service by helping sort clothing or assembling cleaning and humanitarian kits.
