September is Hunger Action Month: Food Insecurity Resources

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Kansas City, KS — September is Hunger Action Month. Food insecurity is a daily reality for millions across the U.S., but it hits even closer to home here in Kansas City. While 38 million adults and 12 million children nationwide struggle, 1 in 7 people in our own community face barriers to affordable, nutritious food, and 1 in 4 children in KC are caught in this crisis.

According to Mysidewalk data, more than half (56%) of our population are considered to have “low access” to healthy food. This is especially a concern for our patients because many chronic medical conditions can be managed through both medications and a healthy diet.

How can patients get access to healthy food when they’re struggling financially? Here are a few resources:
POG Mobile Food Pantry
If you’re one of our patients, you probably already know about the monthly mobile food pantry that comes to our parking lot every first Tuesday of the month 10am – Noon. It is open to anyone in the community. The Resurrection Church FoodMobile also stops at a few other locations in KCK. You can find their schedule here:
Many food pantries serve the Wyandotte County area. For a full list, click on this map and find one near you:
Kanbe’s Market provides fresh and affordable food in neighborhoods that struggle with food access. Find a Kanbe’s location near you:
In addition, don’t forget that you can call 2-1-1 to get connected with community resources for everything from emergency food assistance to other community resources.
No one should ever go hungry. Help is just a phone call or click away.

Celebrating our 2nd Anniversary

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OUR HEARTS ARE FILLED WITH GRATITUDE AND GRACE

Thank you to our friends and supporters who attended our 2nd Anniversary Celebration.

Collage of pictures of supporters at our anniversary party

LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDERS 

Pharmacy of Grace is thrilled to be celebrating our second anniversary this summer. Did you know the traditional 2nd-anniversary gift is cotton? It symbolizes both comfort and strength, which is also what we have been offering our patients for the last two years. The comfort we offer is the security of knowing that they can afford their medications without having to choose between their prescriptions and gas in their car or groceries for their family. The strength we offer is the improved quality of life every time they pick up their prescription and keep them on track to a healthier future.

SinGraphic showing rate of growth= 10,000 prescriptions filled in January 2024 and 20,000th prescription filled in August 2024 ce we opened in the summer of 2022, we have experienced incredible growth. So far this year, we have filled almost as many prescriptions from January through June as we filled in all of 2023! Back in January, we celebrated our 10,000th prescription filled, andonly seven months later in August we celebrated 20,000 prescriptions filled.

Out of 1,980totalunique patients we have served since we opened, 69% are living below the federal poverty limit.

  • 79.5% of patients are 25-65 years old
  • 60.1% Female / 39.8%  Male

The closing of Duchesne Clinic (Caritas) in Wyandotte County contributed to this growth in 2024. When the clinic closed, it sent 250 new patients and 1,000 new prescriptions to us within a few weeks. These patients were uninsured, living in poverty, and some were homeless. Our Grace Meds program was there to help them through this transition and ensure they stayed on their medications.

As we look forward, we know we will continue to grow. We’re prepared for that growth thanks to our exceptional staff. We are also excited about forming new and strengthening current community partnerships throughout the metro to serve patients. We will also be expanding our immunization program to reach more people with our immunization pharmacist hired this year (read more about that below.)

We hope you will continue with us on this journey and support us as we grow to meet the critical needs in our community.

Sincerely,

Sara and John Yost

Founders, Pharmacy of Grace

 

SEE HOW WE’VE GROWN

You can read our entire second anniversary newsletter here! 

If you’d like to sign up to receive our email newsletters (sent quarterly with news and updates) you can sign up here.

 

 

 

Pharmacy of Grace Expanding Immunization Program

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Thursday August 15th, 2024

Kansas City, KS—Pharmacy of Grace is excited to announce the expansion of its vaccine services. Thanks to the hiring of a new immunization pharmacist and generous donations, we have expanded this important service for our patients providing Flu, COVID-19, Shingles, and Herpes vaccines. 

To expand our ability to offer vaccines, we needed a new medical-grade refrigerator, which some angel donors stepped in to donate. Then the Hartley Family Foundation helped us purchase hundreds of influenza vaccines to further expand our vaccination offerings this fall. 

In January 2024, we hired a new immunization pharmacist, Brandon Powers, thanks to the Federal PAVE Grant: Pandemic Assistance and Vaccine Equity Grant project, funded by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) COVID-19 Vaccination Supplemental Funding in coordination with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supported through the coronavirus response and relief supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021. 

vaccine program: pharmacists giving immunization shotsThis award will support local efforts to increase vaccine uptake by expanding COVID-19 vaccine programs and ensuring greater equity and access to vaccines by those disproportionately affected by the pandemic, including high-risk and underserved populations such as racial and ethnic minorities and rural communities. This award does not directly support research and development.

This Pandemic Assistance and Vaccine Equity Grant program, awarded as subgrant number PAVE-71, is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $83,570,217. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of nor any endorsed by the CDC, HHS, the US Government or the office of the Kansas governor. For more information please visit www.cdc.gov (Revision 6/9/2023)

Grace Meds Patients ages 6 to 64 years old (patients without insurance) can qualify for free flu vaccines while supplies last. Other vaccines may be free or low cost for patients with Medicare or other insurance.

These grants and awards combined are helping us expand our ability to provide many life-saving vaccines, such as Flu, Shingles, COVID-19, and Herpes vaccinations. Brandon Powers will attend events and visit underserved communities, making sure that everyone who wants access to vaccines can get them and helping them overcome transportation and access barriers. 

 

Pharmacy of Grace Selected as Recipient of United Way’s Impact 100 Grant

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May 15, 2024 – Pharmacy of Grace is thrilled to announce that we have been chosen as a recipient of the prestigious United Way Impact 100 grant. As an organization that is not even two years old yet, we are honored to be joining the respected local non-profits on this list of grant recipients. 

This recognition by United Way of Greater Kansas City reaffirms our commitment to providing better access to medication and improved overall health to under-resourced people in our community and marks a significant milestone in our journey towards creating a healthier, more resilient Greater Kansas City.

The Impact 100 grant program is a cornerstone initiative of United Way, designed to identify and invest in the most vital health and human service organizations making a difference in our region. United Way’s rigorous selection process involved the review of applications by a diverse panel of 100 community and business leaders, who evaluated organizations based on their demonstrated impact, outcomes, and fiscal responsibility. After thorough deliberation, Pharmacy of Grace emerged as one of the standout organizations poised to effect meaningful change in the Kansas City area.

At Pharmacy of Grace, our mission is clear: to ensure that every individual has access to the medications and health resources they need to thrive. Receiving the Impact 100 grant not only provides us with vital financial support but also signifies an endorsement of our vision and impact within the community. With this funding, we will be able to expand our reach, enhance our services, and make an even greater difference in the lives of those we serve.

We are grateful to United Way of Greater Kansas City for their belief in our mission. Together, we are united in our commitment to building a healthier, more equitable future for all residents of Kansas City.

Great Kansas City United Way Impact 100 logo with text: Pharmacy of Grace is thrilled to be chosen as a recipient of the prestigious United Way Impact 100 grant. Thank you!

 

Annual Report: 2023

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March 4, 2024 (Kansas City, KS) — Pharmacy of Grace is pleased to present our annual report for 2023. The data here will reveal the progress and accomplishments made possible since we opened in the summer of 2022. The data illustrates our growth and commitment to our community all made possible because of our strong team of employees, our supportive and engaged board of directors, and our community funders and supporters. 

We’re celebrating accomplishments but also looking forward to the possibilities ahead of us as we explore more ways to meet the needs of our community. We value your continued partnership in our pursuit of health equity, and appreciate you for helping make the vision of Pharmacy of Grace become a reality. 

Here is a link to our 2023 annual report:

Pharmacy of Grace Annual Report 2023

PoG Annual Report-FINAL (1)

Community Art Project Installed

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Monday, March 4, 2024

Kansas City, KS — Back in September, we partnered with EPIC Clay Studio in Strawberry Hill KCK to work on a community art project. We asked our supporters to paint tiles for us when they came to the pharmacy for a tour, and then we asked community members to paint the rest of the tiles at the September Third Friday Artwalk. People of all ages painted tiles, and even Mayor Garner painted a tile. We reminded anyone who said “I’m not artistic” that EPIC stands for Every Person Is Creative.

The end result of this community art project is now on display in the pharmacy. It’s a mosaic of talent and creativity that the lovely people at Epic put together for us, including hand-carving our logo into it. We are honored to have such wonderful neighbors who support our vision and mission of making good health accessible to all.

   

 

Pharmacy of Grace has long believed that art is an important part of our vision. Our organization’s Mission Statement in Support of Art:

“In line with Pharmacy of Grace’s values of honoring the dignity of all people and improving the health of our community, we also want to lift the spirits of all those who enter our building. We know of no better way to do that than by sharing art that brightens someone’s day. Our pharmacy’s vision is to provide hope, often at dark times. Art often has that impact as well. Therefore, we strive to support local artists and the arts by highlighting their work in our pharmacy.”

 

Thank you Epic and all our neighbors/friends at the art walk who helped make this happen. Stop by the pharmacy to come see it for yourself!

 

Pharmacy of Grace staff in front of the tile art project

Epic Arts community art project has been installed in the Pharmacy of Grace lobby.

State-of-the-Art Robotics Technology Helps Pharmacy of Grace Meet Increasing Demand 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Monday February 19th, 2024

Kansas City, KS – As the need for affordable medication continues to increase at Kansas City’s only charitable pharmacy, Pharmacy of Grace is turning to technology to meet demand. The CRS 225 (Compact Robotic System) is a robot that can fill 150 vials an hour. The improved efficiency also frees up the pharmacists’ time to provide in-depth healthcare and medication guidance.

 

Why A Robot? 

Prescription volume at Pharmacy of Grace has increased 160% in the last year. Our staff also has the added challenge of managing inventory from five different sources, including donated medications that can only be used for patients at certain income levels. This takes a lot of our staff’s time maintaining the inventory, so we turned to donors to ask for their support in order to purchase this state-of-the-art technology to improve efficiency. 

 

The CRS 225 is a reliable and accurate prescription dispensing system that automates repetitive tasks and reduces the risk of human error or cross-contamination. It also sorts the medication inventory to accurately track when donated medications were used and makes sure the pharmacy is a good steward of our donations. 

 

Pharmacy staff use barcodes throughout the process to ensure quality control and will oversee the dispensing process from prescription entry to verification of the finished product. CRS 225 prints all the labels but delivers the uncapped medications for the pharmacy staff’s final inspection and verification. 

 

About the Donors

Pharmacy of Grace purchased the robot from Kansas City-based ScriptPro. The purchase was made possible thanks to funding from The H & R Block Foundation, The Sunderland Foundation, Dunn Family Foundation, Vivian and Hymie J. Sosland Charitable Trust, the Breidenthal-Snyder Community Fund, and other anonymous donors.  

 

Healthcare Counseling 

One of the founding principles at Pharmacy of Grace is the pharmacists’ role in addressing patients’ healthcare needs. Pharmacists see patients 12 times more often than their primary care provider (on average), and this is why Pharmacy of Grace offers one-on-one counseling to ensure patients understand what medications they are taking, why they need the medication, and how to take it correctly. 

 

In addition to Spanish-speaking staff, Pharmacy of Grace has a translation service available to help overcome language barriers to ensure patients understand their medications regardless of their primary language. 

 

The CRS 225 robot frees up more of our pharmacists’ time to have these one-on-one counseling sessions to improve patients’ understanding of their medications, which improves adherence and ultimately leads to improved health outcomes for patients. 

 

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More About Pharmacy of Grace 

Pharmacy of Grace is a 501c(3) nonprofit in Wyandotte County, Kansas, which opened in July 2022. The pharmacy’s location near I-635 and Minnesota is an area of tremendous social and healthcare need, with 30-40% of residents uninsured and the highest number of people living in poverty in the Kansas City Metro. 

The Purpose of Pharmacy of Grace, Inc. is to break the cycle of homelessness, poverty, school absentee days, and unemployment caused by unmanaged medical conditions. Many chronic medical conditions (such as hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, asthma, COPD, bipolar, and migraines) often go unmanaged, which eventually can cause people to seek costly medical care and possible emergency hospitalization.

The Mission of Pharmacy of Grace is to improve access to prescription medication for uninsured and underinsured individuals and to increase the number of prescription medications available to vulnerable populations in Kansas.

 

Watch our video about the robot here: https://youtu.be/9XtWzSbvttI

Announcement: Pharmacy of Grace Hires New Interim Executive Director

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Jan. 10, 2024 (Kansas City, KS) – Pharmacy of Grace is pleased to announce the hiring of its first executive director, marking a significant moment of growth for this 16-month-old organization. Janice Benjamin started as Interim Executive Director at Pharmacy of Grace in January 2024.

Janice is a seasoned nonprofit and philanthropy executive with a deep passion for health equity and healthcare access. Janice is drawn to the important work at Pharmacy of Grace because it aligns with her lifelong passion for improvingthe health of our community.

“I believe deeply that all people should have access to healthcare, and Pharmacy of Grace is doing this critical work. You cannot underestimate the importance of access to medication, since the inability to afford medication can make a person’s health and quality of life spiral so quickly.”

In 2020, Janice retired as the vice president of development for The University of Kansas Health System where she built a highly regarded philanthropy program from the ground up to support clinical innovation and patient care at the region’s leading academic medical center. She previously served as the vice president of the Menorah Medical Center Foundation.

Janice Benjamin

Janice spent her early professional career as a teacher, career development and management consultant, business owner, and author. She was the president of the Career Management Center, consulting with individual business and professional clients and corporations. She co-authored How to Be Happily Employed, published with a resource guide for six US cities.

She is a graduate of Tulane University with a BA in secondary education and sociology and holds a MA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City

in guidance and counseling. Her civic involvement includes serving as the past president of the Junior League of Kansas City, MO, former Board Chair of the Central Exchange, and a founding board member of The Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City (United We).  Currently, she is a member of the board of directors for HNC (head & neck cancer) Living Foundation and for JFS KC (Jewish Family Services).

 

 

 

 

Pharmacy of Grace Annual Report: 2022

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Jan. 11, 2023 (Kansas City, KS) — Pharmacy of Grace officially opened in August 2022. As we reflect on the past year, it is with gratitude and a deep sense of purpose that we share the impactful journey we’ve embarked on together. Countless lives have been changed already and we can’t wait to see how much more good we can do in our community in the coming years. Thank you for your support.

Here is a link to our 2022 annual report:

Newsletter 2022, 1.11.2023

Diabetes Awareness Month

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 9th, 2022

KCK Nonprofits Team Up for Diabetes Awareness Month Event

 

Kansas City, KS – Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. and that number is probably underreported. According to the 2022 Kansas Diabetes Report, black non-Hispanics are twice as likely to have diabetes than white non-Hispanics. The report also found that pre-diabates is a significant health concern in the Hispanic community. Hispanic people are about twice as likely to be pre-diabetic compared to white non-Hispanic. Diabetes rates are also significantly higher for people with an income below $50,000 a year. 

Both Pharmacy of Grace and Mercy and Truth Medical Missions are located near 31st and Minnesota Ave in Kansas City, KS, an area with a significant African-American and Hispanic population. The organizations are teaming up to raise awareness about diabetes, prediabetes, and diabetes prevention to help their patients achieve better health outcomes.

The Diabetes Awareness Event will take place November 15th at 721 N 31 St Kansas City, KS 66102 from 9 am until 12 pm. The event is a collaboration between many community groups with a heart for Wyandotte County health and well-being.

The event corresponds with our normal Food Mobile distribution thanks to the Church of the Resurrection food ministry program Hunger Stoppers. Their mobile food pantry always offers a healthy selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. Well-balanced, healthy meals are a first defense against diabetes and prediabetes. The food mobile is parked out in the parking lot, and other community services will be offered inside our building. 

Mercy & Truth Medical Missions will be offering free A1C diabetes tests and blood pressure screenings on site. Wyandotte Angels will be passing out cold weather items like blankets and coats. The Wyandotte County Public Health Department will be providing information about diabetes and prevention. Heart to Heart International will be there as well with Covid and Flu vaccines, and Pharmacy of Grace staff will be giving flu shots as well as talking to patients about how to sign up for PoG discounted prescription prices. 

Pharmacy of Grace is a new charitable pharmacy focused on helping people afford their medication on an on-going basis, not just as a stop-gap measure. 

New reports have found that the price of medication is rising faster than inflation and as those costs skyrocket, another report found that 1 in 5 Americans with diabetes are rationing their medications. Pharmacy of Grace has private and nonprofit partnerships that can help people access prescription medications at a deep discount and can help patients afford their diabetes medications and live healthier lives. 

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Pharmacy of Grace Backgrounder: 

Pharmacy of Grace is a new 501c(3) nonprofit in Wyandotte County, Kansas, the county with the highest percentage of people living in poverty in the greater Kansas City Metro. The pharmacy’s location near I-635 and Minnesota is an area of tremendous social and healthcare need with 30-40% of residents uninsured. 

Pharmacy of Grace is the only free-standing charitable pharmacy in Kansas, and is focused on helping uninsured or underinsured patients manage their diseases through access and education. This is why it also offers one-on-one counseling to make sure patients fully understand how to take their medications and why they must be taken correctly. Pharmacy of Grace has spanish-speaking staff and a translation service covering 300 different languages. Pharmacy of Grace believes increasing access to life-saving medications can break the cycle of homelessness, poverty, school absentee days, and unemployment caused by unmanaged medical conditions. 

 

Mercy & Truth Medical Missions, KCK Backgrounder: 

Mercy and Truth Medical Missions is a 501c3 founded 26 years ago to assist the uninsured and underinsured receive high quality medical care regardless of their ability to pay. With clinics located in the richest county in Kansas (Johnson) and one of the poorest in Kansas (Wyandotte), the clinics will see nearly 10,000 patients in 2022.

 

Contact: 

Tess Koppelman 

Tess K Communications 

TessKComms@gmail.com