LDS Home Storage Centers

I had this post scheduled to pop up in 2 weeks, but recent developments demand I do it now! 

The whole thing that started the idea for buying dry foods in bulk was when I looked around at all the stores, frustrated because I remembered when I used to be able to easily get black beans for $0.89/pound.  $3 per pound?  Seriously?  What happened? 

Turns out there is an LDS cannery in the town next to me, and man, their black beans are cheap.



I've heard conflicting information about whether they allow non-Mormons to use their facilities, which sell products at cost as a welfare program.  Half of the non-Mormons say they were not allowed in, or that they had to go with someone else who was with the church.  Half say that if you offer to volunteer a few hours (thus bypassing the nonprofit regulations) then you can purchase supplies.  It seems that if more of us non-Mormons are stocked up, we will be less of a burden on them when hard times hit, so everybody wins.  They consider sharing with non-Mormons to be a missionary activity, and may come visit after they have your information.

For locations of their canneries, click HERE. 

For prices of goods, click HERE. You can print out the order form, fill it out, and bring it to the cannery.

For 50lbs of black beans in bulk online, it is $1.34/pound.  I'm comparing this to $3/pound at Safeway, $2/pound at local ethnic stores, or $0.72/lb if I lower my culinary standards to pintos (Costco).

At the LDS canneries, 50lbs black beans are $0.67/lb, a savings of $33.50!

If you want to dry-pack them in #10 cans (with oxygen absorbers) at the facility and bypass the whole mylar bag and bucket thing, it is $0.90/lb, still a better deal.


And here's the recent development:
I was told that a friend's friend called the Sacramento LDS Home Storage Center, and verified that they let anybody buy anything there, provided that you use cash.  The cannery just happens to be on my way to visit my parents, so I will end up stopping by for black beans at least, and perhaps some powdered milk (it makes homemade yogurt nice and thick).

I haven't called my local one yet.  I wrestled with the idea of using a "welfare program"... but the reality is that the canneries don't gain anything in the deal (besides goodwill and helping their community and keeping farmers paid), and they don't lose anything either.  If the resource is there, and finances are getting tighter, maybe it is in my best interest to use it and just be grateful.  At the very least, I should share it with you all.  Thanks for the tip, friend-of-a-friend!

Have you had any experiences with getting supplies from an LDS home storage center?