We’re happy to report there will be clean little baby bottoms in Rochester, N.H.

Thumbs up to the SHARE Fund, a Rochester nonprofit, that will soon be the only organization in the state to take part in a national diaper bank. The availability of clean diapers will be a life-saver for needy parents, who sometimes must choose between buying food and buying diapers.

Parents with financial challenges have been known to leave their babies in soiled diapers longer than they should, mostly because they are rationing the diapers. Others, in desperation, have tried rinsing out soiled disposable diapers and using them again, a practice that puts their babies at risk for skin rashes and staph and urinary tract infections.

It’s sad to think about families who are struggling so much they can’t afford the basics to ensure sanitary conditions for their children, but that’s the reality.

The SHARE Fund saw the need to help local families and moved to find a solution. SHARE was recently accepted as a member of the National Diaper Bank network, a group of 300 Community Diaper Banks in 45 states. The network works to address "diaper need" – the lack of a sufficient supply of diapers to keep an infant clean, dry and healthy. Diapers will be distributed at Gerry’s Emergency Food Pantry in Rochester starting July 11.

According to SHARE Executive Director Torey Kortz, the nonprofit’s acceptance into the national diaper bank program means SHARE will be able to provide about 60 diapers per child to 100 local children each month – or about 6,000 diapers per month – at a discounted rate. SHARE will be able to purchase diapers for about 9 cents apiece, whereas the average diaper costs between 25 to 45 cents each.

We applaud the SHARE Fund for recognizing an important need in the community and finding a way to fulfill it. There will be a whole bunch of clean and dry baby bottoms in the city – and that’s a very good thing.

– Foster’s Daily
Democrat, Dover