Share Fund Inc

Share Fund Inc, a charitable outreach program, is dedicated to providing material and financial support to families and individuals in need during emergencies or times of severe hardship. The organization's mission is to address emergency basic needs and inspire people to become financially self-sufficient. Share Fund Inc achieves this by offering various forms of aid, including food, shelter, and clothing, through three distinct programs.

The first program, Gerry's Emergency Food Pantry, provides free food resources to families in Rochester, East Rochester, Gonic, and Farmington, NH, aiming to prevent or alleviate hunger. In 2022, over 9,000 individuals benefited from this service, which distributed 200,000 pounds of food. The Community Diaper Bank, another initiative, distributes free diapers to low-income families through the food pantry and partnerships with local resources like Headstart. Over 26,000 diapers were distributed to children and adults in need in 2022.

In addition to food and diapers, Share Fund Inc offers emergency financial assistance to help cover shelter and expenses, ensuring healthy homes for residents in the mentioned communities. This program provides payments to landlords, utility vendors, and heating fuel vendors to prevent eviction, disconnection, and fuel assistance exhaustion. The organization also addresses urgent medical needs and provides emergency dental, eye care, medication, and necessary medical services and equipment. Share Fund Inc's auto-repair assistance program continues to flourish, offering emergency repairs to those whose vehicles serve as their homes. In 2022, the program served over 200 households, distributing approximately $90,000 in financial assistance. The organization also provides support services to help households improve their financial outlook, including budgeting guidance, financial coaching, and other encouragement for long-term changes in financial management habits.

Finally, Share Fund Inc operates the Share Fund Thrift Store, offering free shopping for families in need with no geographical restrictions. Families who qualify through a simple validation referral system can obtain needed clothing, shoes, and accessories for adults and children, as well as other household goods. Nearly 2,000 neighbors in need received clothing and household items through this program in 2022. The thrift store is also open to the public seeking an affordable shopping destination, with proceeds from sales supporting the Share Fund's services and overall operations.