Shawnee, KS — On July 15, 2026, Pharmacy of Grace officially opened the doors of our second full-service location in Shawnee, Kansas.
The ribbon cutting ceremony, held in partnership with the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, brought together patients, donors, community leaders, pharmacy staff, and supporters who have walked alongside this mission from the very beginning.
The Community We Came to Serve
The need in Johnson County is real, even if it isn’t always visible. Johnson County is often perceived as one of the most affluent counties in the Kansas City metro, but it is home to more than 31,000 uninsured residents. Within walking distance of our new Shawnee location, approximately 2,000 people have no health insurance. These are our neighbors. People who often had to go without their medications because the cost was too high. This is an important gap in the healthcare picture that Pharmacy of Grace is here to fill.
A Word from Our Co-Founder
Co-Founder John Yost
At the ribbon cutting, John Yost spoke about the journey that brought Pharmacy of Grace to this moment. It all started with a mission trip to Columbus, Ohio, where he and Sara first encountered the charitable pharmacy model. They spent years researching and building a board, endured pandemic-era setbacks, and finally opened their doors in Kansas City, Kansas, filling just three prescriptions on day one. The Shawnee expansion is not a finish line. Pharmacy of Grace is already identifying future locations. The mission is growing because the need demands it.
Dr. Michael Fink, Pharmacy of Grace President and CEO, joined Pharmacy of Grace as its very first staff member, reflected on what this expansion means from the inside.
“I have seen our team answer hard questions, solve complex problems, and sit with patients who are carrying the stress of not knowing how they are going to afford their medications,” he said. “I have also seen the relief that comes when we are able to say: ‘We can help.'”
Michael shared the story of Ruby, one of Pharmacy of Grace’s earliest patients, whose poorly controlled diabetes had been cycling her in and out of the emergency room. He watched as her care stabilized through consistent access to her medications — $4,000 worth at retail, available to her for $24 a month. “That is what makes Pharmacy of Grace different,” Michael said. “We do more than fill prescriptions. We help patients understand their medications, navigate cost barriers, connect with available assistance, and receive care in a place where they are treated with dignity.”
Since opening in 2022, Pharmacy of Grace has served more than 4,000 patients and dispensed more than 70,000 prescriptions. Michael was clear that this is only the beginning. “We have just scratched the surface,” he said. “We know the need is great.”
Community Support
The official ribbon cutting was held with Mayor Mickey Sandifer and Shawnee Chamber of Commerce CEO Ann Smith-Tate joining co-founders John and Sara Yost, President and CEO Michael Fink, and our Board of Directors on the steps of our new home.
Mayor Mickey Sandifer
Mayor Sandifer reflected on his late wife, who passed away in 2018, and spoke about how critical medication had been in sustaining her life and what it means when that access is out of reach.
“She had drugs that, if she could not take these particular drugs, she would have died. I know the importance of the medications and how many people actually need them. And this is a life-and-death situation with a life-saving organization here,” he said.
Ann Smith-Tate echoed that sentiment on behalf of the Shawnee Chamber, reminding those gathered that a thriving community must care for all of its residents, not just some of them.
“The future for our community is very bright. We know, too, that it cannot be successful, and we cannot move forward, if we are not caring for everybody in our community. So it is such a blessing to have organizations like Pharmacy of Grace,” she said.
Mayor Sandifer also announced that this year’s Shawnee Christmas Tree Fund will be split between Pharmacy of Grace and Mercy and Truth Healthcare Ministries, our neighbor and important partner — two independent nonprofit organizations sharing one community and a commitment to improving the health of our neighbors.
It Takes a Village
Senior Director of Development and Community Outreach Stacy Tobin captured the spirit of the day when she addressed the crowd: “Today’s ribbon cutting represents much more than opening another pharmacy, it represents what is possible when a community comes together around a shared purpose.”
POG Staff
Stacy recognized Brent Morris and the entire Mercy and Truth Healthcare Ministry team, who first welcomed Pharmacy of Grace to their Kansas City, Kansas campus in 2022 and welcomed us again as neighbors here in Shawnee. She also thanked the many community organizations whose collaboration makes our mission possible every day: AccessKC, AdventHealth, Heart to Heart International, Avenue of Life, Dispensary of Hope, El Centro, Fountain of Life, and the Johnson County Health Department.
She also recognized our staff, whose dedication, compassion, and enthusiasm are, as she put it, the heartbeat of Pharmacy of Grace. And she thanked our Board of Directors for their leadership, guidance, and belief in the vision from the very beginning.
Thank You to Our Funders
This expansion was made possible by an extraordinary community of funders who believed in what Pharmacy of Grace could become. We are especially grateful to AdventHealth for their incredible support, including funding to buy our ScriptPro prescription-filling robot, which is already helping our team serve patients more efficiently. We also must highlight the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund for their donation that helped fund the ribbon cutting, and whose $65,000 matching gift challenge helped us raise $130,000 toward this expansion.
Thank you also to the Dunn Family Foundation, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Health Forward Foundation, Resurrection — A United Methodist Church, Regnier Family Foundations, Sunderland Foundation, Dr. Gary L. Grunewald Charitable Fund, United Way of Greater Kansas City, Ronald D. Deffenbaugh Foundation, and REACH Healthcare Foundation. And thank you to the many individuals and quiet supporters who choose to invest in this mission behind the scenes. Your generosity is an investment in healthier families and a stronger community.
Thank you also to our volunteers and to the Grand Opening Committee, whose countless hours of planning and coordination brought this day to life.
Co-Founder Sara Yost listening to the speeches before the ribbon-cutting
And to Drs. John and Sara Yost, thank you for having the vision to see what was possible, and the dedication, courage, and commitment to turn that vision into reality. Because of your leadership, Pharmacy of Grace has grown from an idea into a mission that is changing lives across our community.
Visit Us
Pharmacy of Grace Shawnee is located at 11644 W. 75th St., Shawnee, Kansas. We are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed 12:30–1 p.m. for lunch). The pharmacy is supported through grants, foundations, and individuals who believe in our mission. As a full-service pharmacy, we are open to everyone in the community and insured patients who fill prescriptions with us directly support the mission.
