Bobby Rich is honored for support of Diaper Bank

Rich was nominated by the executive director of the Southern Arizona Community Diaper Bank, Kirsten Grabo, who described Rich as "a tireless friend and advocate for the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona.

"His unwavering support, wisdom and creativity over the last 16 years helped us take what some thought was a silly idea and create the nation's first Diaper Bank," wrote Grabo in her nomination. "With his unfaltering dedication to the Diaper Bank we have covered baby's butts and adult bottoms with over 6 million diapers.

"With his passion, we took a simple diaper and used it as the unlikely key for changing the lives of countless people in our community. Helping those less fortunate, in their time of struggle, is what defines Bobby Rich as a great giver in our community," she wrote.

The host of 94.9 MIX-FM's "The Bobby Rich Morning Mix," Rich was belled in the studio after his Wednesday morning shift.

When the Diaper Bank was seeking community support for its first diaper drive 16 years ago, Rich responded to a fax sent to his radio station, Grabo said.

"I'm sure he thought it was weird, but he immediately got the concept and understood the need for diapers," she said.

The novelty of a diaper bank is what interested Rich.

"It was one of those things that appealed to me partially because I'd never heard of anybody doing it before," Rich said. That first year "we did a morning show live in front of their office. We stood out in the rain and collected a few thousand diapers and cash donations, and it became a cause we instantly believed in."

Now each December, during the Diaper Bank's annual collection drive, Rich and his radio station publicize the nonprofit and host special events to raise funds, diapers and awareness.

For more information about the Southern Arizona Community Diaper Bank, go to diaperbank.org or call 325-1400.