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SALT LAKE CITY — Deseret Industries stores will temporarily close to the public as COVID-19 continues to spread, according to a Tuesday announcement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Beginning Wednesday, March 18, stores will be closed to the general public for shopping and donations but will remain open to support the needs of individuals served by bishops’ orders and community partner grants," the news release reads, adding that stores will be open until 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Deseret Industries is a thrift shop, of sorts, owned by the church. During the closure, the public will no longer be able to shop or donate to the organization. A bishop, or local leader in the church, may, however, indicate that members of his congregation need goods, and Deseret Industries will continue working with community partners.
"Employees of Deseret Industries who are in low-risk demographics may be transferred to support the work of bishops’ storehouses and food processing operations to backfill any staff or volunteers from those facilities who are in a higher risk category and, out of an abundance of caution, remain at home," the news release reads.
Bishops' storehouses are also owned by the church and offer food and common household items to members in need who have been identified by their bishops. Bishops' storehouses will remain open at this time, though that may change in the future, according to the church's senior public affairs manager Doug Andersen.
The organization emphasized that the closures and transfers are temporary and that the adjustments are in "support (of) community health."
The church also recently suspended church services indefinitely and announced that the faith's upcoming April conference would be held via technology only.
