Since the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1830s, Bishop's Storehouses have been a part of the Church. The Baltimore Bishop's Storehouse serves much of the State of Maryland plus several small areas of southern Pennsylvania. You could best describe this facility as a market without a cash register. The people who shop here are in need of food; for example, someone may be unemployed and have no money coming in to buy the basic necessities of life. Although this program is mainly for Church members, it is possible for a non-member to obtain help from a Bishop's Storehouse, if the Bishop deems this appropriate.
Shelves are stocked by volunteers to serve those in need
Much of the food distributed at the Bishop's Storehouse is grown on Church-owned farms. As an example, the Church grows apples on their farms in Ohio and Washington State. The Church currently owns 64 welfare farms and sends the food to 18 Church-owned food processing centers and 105 canneries before transporting the finished products to the local Bishop's Storehouses. The Bishop's Storehouses are financed by members of the Church who are asked to fast for two meals on the first Sunday of each month. The amount of money that would be spent for those two meals is contributed to the Church as Fast Offerings.
The two busiest weeks of the year for Bishop's Storehouses are just before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Elder Lindsay volunteered to help fill orders and stock shelves this past Saturday. There was a steady stream of customers from 9:00 am until shortly after 12 noon together with a wonderful group of volunteers to assist them as well. Among the items distributed to needy families were 93 frozen turkeys plus all the other food and trimmings one would expect to enjoy at a good Thanksgiving dinner.
These youth from Hanover, PA were great helpers
A group of teenage Church members from Hanover, Pennsylvania cheerfully assisted the customers who were filling their food orders. Because of their service, many families will now have a happy Thanksgiving; and these young people themselves will undoubtedly enjoy their own Thanksgiving more by having obtained a different perspective about the importance of caring for the needs of the poor. For their part, those individuals and families who are assisted by the Bishop's Storehouse in turn provide volunteer service to the Church, because it is important for them to maintain their self-respect while learning that they are being given a hand up not a hand out.
Come, Ye Thankful People
Come, ye thankful people, come; raise the song of harvest home
All is safely gathered in ere the winter storms begin.
God, our Maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied.
Come to God's own temple, come; raise the song of harvest home.
All the world is God's own field, fruit unto his praise to yield,
Wheat and tares together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade, and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear.
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.
- Henry Alford
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