NC MedAssist and Care Ring team up for an OTC medicine giveaway and health screenings
We’re stronger – and can have a greater impact – when we join forces. To continue striving towards a healthier community, NC MedAssist and Care Ring teamed up on April 10 for a free Over the Counter (OTC) Medicine Giveaway Day that also included free blood pressure screenings.
The event was from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on Beatties Ford Road. All were welcomed, and no appointment was necessary, but clients had to attest to having a financial need.
Participants were able to select OTC medications based on their health needs. Each participant got more than $80 worth of medications that included, but weren’t limited to allergy relief, children’s medications, aspirin, Tylenol, Aleve, vitamins and first aid.
NC MedAssist’s goal is to help alleviate the strain on the healthcare system by providing medications to those who normally use the emergency department for fevers, minor pain relief and treating cold and flu symptoms.
Care Ring representatives administered free blood pressure screenings and answered health-related questions from participants.
All OTC medicine is donated by Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Volunteers at MedAssist sort and distribute the medicine to families in and around the Greater Mecklenburg area.
Since the program’s inception two-and-a-half years ago, NC MedAssist has distributed more than $1.2 million in donated OTC medicine. About 4,000 individuals have participated in an OTC Giveaway Day, receiving free medicine they can’t otherwise afford.
During the April event, NC MedAssist provided more than 300 people with OTCs and referred several uninsured people to the group’s free prescription pharmacy program. Twenty-three volunteers from companies like OrthoCarolina and Carolinas HealthCare System were on-site to help shop or provide consultation.
“We are so proud of our program and how it is impacting the lives of those who just need a little extra help,” said Aiysha Hayes, CEO of Hayes Financial & Tax and chair of NC Med Assist’s OTC program. “Each month, our collaborations with other institutions help to prevent our residents from having to choose between food and medicine.”
Care Ring Executive Director Donald Jonas said, “This event was a natural fit for us to enhance our partnership with NC MedAssist while helping our neighbors in need.”
The collaboration between NC MedAssist and Care Ring provided a great opportunity for low-income local residents to receive much-needed medicine and get tips on the importance of blood pressure monitoring.
View how NC MedAssist empowers our neighbors in need: https://youtu.be/dyy-ZzhyagU
Learn more about Care Ring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btpBC2b38d4
