Sampson County residents are amazing in their giving spirit. Most have an infectious we’re-all-in-this-together attitude that makes raising money for community projects or collecting needed items for those less fortunate as simple as making the request.

Such has been the case time after time in our community, where millions of dollars have been raised for such worthwhile agencies and projects as United Way of Sampson County, Relay for Life, construction at Clinton High, the Wellness Center, the Cooperative Extension Service and the Outpatient Diagnostic Center and dozens of other fundraisings that truly are so plentiful it is hard to mention them all.

And now comes yet another example in the fledgling Diaper Bank of Sampson County, an organization which has partnered with the county’s Health Department to provide essential baby supplies for parents who simply cannot afford the mounting bills such supplies bring. Among them, and perhaps most important, is diapers.

It’s such a simple necessity, and one that is easy to take for granted for those fortunate enough to have the means to purchase the hundreds that are required by any growing newborn. But for the dozens of low income families in Sampson County living, quite literally on the bring of complete poverty, diapers are a priceless commodity, surely a need but often one they cannot fund the finds to purchase.

In fact, Chris Drive, one of the Diaper Bank’s organizers, noted that before the bank was established there was no federal, state or local agency program that assisted families in need of diapers or other baby essentials.

That’s not true any more. Since it was organized back in the summer, the Diaper Bank, thanks to a caring community, has already assisted nearly 450 individuals, collecting 25,000 diapers. Of those collected, 10,880 have already been given out through the monthly distribution, along with some 200 packs of diaper wipes. More collections are planned, with the hopes of keeping the diaper banked stocked so that monthly distributions can continue.

We’ve no doubt people will continue to contribute to this worthwhile project simply because they, like us, believe that what we do for one section of our community actually benefits our entire community.

Kudos go to Driver and the Diaper Bank’s other organizers and supporters for seeing a need and working diligently to wrestle it to the ground.

And we urge those who can, but haven’t yet been a participant, to watch for the next collection and join others in the fight to help those less fortunate meet a constant need in their homes.

The Diaper Bank is a visionary project that shows, once again, the needs in our community and the dozens who accept the call to help whenever and wherever it goes out.

We are fortunate to live in such a great county where helping others is second nature, and always done with a compassionate heart.