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| The St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy recently opened in Madison to assist low-income clients with their medications. It’s located in the lower level of the Fish Hatchery Rd. location. It’s the first a stand-alone, charitable pharmacy in the state. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash) |
MADISON — For years, people have come to the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry on Fish Hatchery Rd. in Madison to get a helping hand to feed themselves and their families.
Now, just one floor below the pantry, people with nowhere else to turn can get assistance with their medications.
Helping those who need it
Since early April, a stand-alone, charitable pharmacy has been serving local low-income clients, who don’t have insurance or any other coverage option.
Clients can use valid prescriptions at the new pharmacy from physicians and other licensed prescribers.
The focus of the new pharmacy is to provide low-cost drugs needed for acute conditions such as infections or chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or psychiatric illness.
For more than 10 years, St. Vincent de Paul had been underwriting prescriptions for people in need as part of a voucher program. The vouchers were then used for medications at partnering pharmacies.
Grand opening
St. Vincent de Paul recently held a grand opening for the pharmacy, recognizing and thanking everyone who had a part in its opening.
One of the speakers at the grand opening was Dean Jeanette Roberts from the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy. The school helped in the establishment of the pharmacy and students will help volunteer and staff the site.
Roberts said, “Once in a while, you get a special project, and the establishment of the St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy is that once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
She added, “There’s no better training site for future pharmacists,” calling it a “wonderful thing.”
Roberts said she was aware of other locations around the state wanting to open similar pharmacies.
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi also spoke at the grand opening, saying the new facility was “like a miracle” to those who need help.
Parisi shared his own experience as a migraine sufferer, and having to take medication to ease the pain.
Parisi said he “could not imagine” what it would be like to suffer that pain and not be able to get the proper help to alleviate it.
Commenting on the help and cooperation from many people, Parisi added, “When we come together, we can accomplish a lot.”
Generous donors
Construction of the pharmacy was finished in March of this year. Expenses added up to about $200,000. About $180,000 was donated to St. Vincent de Paul to cover the expenses, including $150,000 from the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation.
At the grand opening, a representative from the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation presented a plaque to Yolanda Tolson, who will be the managing pharmacist. The plaque contained a quote from Rennebohm, a former pharmacist and one-time governor of Wisconsin, on what it means to help others and be a pharmacist.
The St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy is located in the lower level of the food pantry site, located at 2033 Fish Hatchery Rd. in Madison. It will be open Monday and Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Additional hours may be added if there is more need and volunteer assistance is available.