New Share Fund initiative diverts landfill waste to repurposing options

ROCHESTER - The SHARE Fund, in collaboration with Ecosmith Recyclers of New Boston and Vent LLC of Portsmouth is report that its new recycling program has diverted around 19,000 pounds of textiles and 3,000 pieces of glass from the landfill.

According to SHARE Fund Executive Director Skip Smith, Eco-Smith takes the worn, unusable textiles and redistributes them to third-world countries for repurposing. VENT, meanwhile, uses unsaleable glassware to provide entertainment and team building, then works with local artists to repurpose the leftover materials.

"At SHARE Fund, we always strive to be good stewards of all that is shared with us in order to maximize social impact," said Smith. "From working with the City of Rochester to establish a recycling dumpster for use by all, to working with local farmers to provide waste food products for feed, we have kept this focus."

Smith says that in addition to support from the City of Rochester, Waterstone Properties generously underwrote the first year of the initiative and is considering the possibility of an ongoing annual contribution.

"Through these types of partnerships, we are proud of the work we are doing to help our neighbors in need and to help our environment," Smith added.

To learn more about the SHARE Fund, make a financial contribution, or learn more about donating items, visit www.sharefund.org or call (603) 335-0011.