Charitable Pharmacies

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A Prescription for Hope in SVdP Pharmacies
A Prescription for Hope in SVdP Pharmacies 2560 1707 SVDP USA

A Prescription for Hope: How SVdP’s Pharmacies Change Lives One Pill at a Time

Every day, Society of St. Vincent de Paul pharmacist Kellie Elisar sees the fallout of a broken system: Patients who can’t afford insulin, seniors choosing between blood pressure medication and groceries, grieving spouses who can’t pay for prescriptions.

“I find some days I’m a sister, sometimes I’m a mother, and sometimes I’m a social worker,” says Elisar, who is in charge of SVdP’s charitable pharmacy in Baton Rouge, La. “It just depends on the day and the need that the patient has.

“Today, we had a gentleman that came in and he lost his wife. Financially, things just completely changed for him. He was so used to having extra Social Security income from his wife, and they would pay everything together. And then, ‘Whoa, now what do I do?’”

At a time when soaring drug prices remain a major political issue, SVdP’s innovative charitable pharmacies have long been working at the grass roots to address the immediate needs of people in places such as Baton Rouge, Dallas and Cincinnati. It’s in these facilities that hope beckons for people whose day to day lives are overshadowed by the need to pay for medicine.

“Medicine or food, food or medicine. When you’re making those kinds of choices, it’s not really a choice,” says Michael Acaldo, Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA’s National Chief Executive Officer.

When he was the president and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Council in 1995, he encountered too many people forced to make such a choice.

“Back in 1995, there was no Medicare Part D,” he said. “Even on just regular Medicare and other income, they could have prescription medicines that cost more than their entire monthly budget combined.

“If it’s a chronic disease, their call isn’t just for help today or this month. It becomes a long-term problem.”

Acaldo organized his Baton Rouge team to create SVdP’s first charitable pharmacy, one whose concept of long-term free pharmaceutical support has now spread nationally. Sometimes people walk in to the pharmacies. Other times, Vincentians discover the needs of people during one-on-one Home Visits with the people they serve.

“What a powerful opportunity [when we] fill that prescription every month. That is a heart, soul-driven activity because that is us really connecting with Christ.”

The work couldn’t be done without people, companies and organizations that are generous with their treasure, their time, and – yes – their pharmaceuticals.

“On a daily basis, we are getting donations from the public (and) nursing homes,” Elisar says. “They had somebody that passed away, or they had mail order sending me bottles of medicine where people don’t know what to do with them because their insurance covers it and they call and ask if we can use it.

“We put dates on them and make sure that everything is compliant with the pharmacy board. That allows me to have the access to be able to fill prescriptions that are very, very expensive.”

Elisar, her team of two staff and about five volunteers have a daily encounter with Christ through these recipients.

“I’ve literally had somebody come in and they said, ‘Thank you for being kind. Nobody has been kind to me today.’ I’m getting chills just thinking about it. How did you not see Christ in every single person that walks through this door?”

Cincinnati Builds a Legislative Path

This innovative  model was eventually adopted by SVdP Conferences and Councils across the country and even helped inspire legislation in Ohio to open the door for charitable pharmacies.

“We were meeting with our neighbors and learning more about some of their challenges,” says Brad McMonigle, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati. “It became a pattern where they were having to choose between buying food, paying rent, taking their medication as prescribed or not taking it at all.

“The leadership in Cincinnati actually assisted in drafting a bill in Ohio to allow for charitable pharmacies. That bill was passed, and in 2006, the charitable pharmacy in Cincinnati was launched.”

Originally, the Cincinnati effort led to 7,000 prescriptions filled in the pharmacy’s first year. Now, the Cincinnati pharmacy is on target to reach its 110,000th prescription this year.

“We will fill their first 30 days with very little questions asked, because we know that they’re not coming with all their paperwork, all their proof of income. They’re just coming in in desperate need,” McMonigle says.

“We will schedule an appointment for them to come in with all that requested information, to see if they then are approved for ongoing care. Once they come under our care, we’ll serve them until they either are able to obtain insurance or they have a better income.”

Offering Spiritual Medicine

The SVdP Dallas pharmacy started similarly through the work of one longtime Vincentian, Hank Herman, whose dogged work with state legislators allowed Saint Vincent de Paul North Texas to open its doors in 2018 and offer more than 400,000 free prescriptions in seven years.

“It’s one of those things where we know that we literally are saving people’s lives because of the medications that we’re giving,” says Luis Gonzalez, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul North Texas.

“We have one patient, a young adult diabetic. We’ve been taking care of her since she was 15 years old. Last year, she told us, ‘I’m going to college because you saved my life. I can go to college and have a life because you’ve been taking care of me and giving me medications.’ Those kinds of things happen to us all the time.”

To maintain and expand their reach, such innovative ministry needs financial support, the kind that Gonzalez says brings an incredible return on compassionate investment.

“The value of these medications, from a pure financial standpoint for an investor, a dollar in is about $35 to $40 worth of value going out the door because of the value of the medication,” he said.

That’s beyond the spiritual medicine that people like Elisar and her team, and similar St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy teams, offer those in need.

There are now seven St. Vincent de Paul charitable pharmacies across the country that provide long-term low-cost or free pharmaceutical support to their communities. SVdP pharmacies can be found in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Biloxi, Cincinnati, Dallas, Houma, Madison, and Monroe. Access to health care has completely transformed the lives of those in need.

Click on the following links to learn more about St. Vincent de Paul charitable pharmacies:
– Atlanta | Baton Rouge | Biloxi | Cincinnati | Dallas | Houma |  Madison | Monroe

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Meet Michael Acaldo, CEO
Meet Michael Acaldo, CEO 2048 2048 SVDP USA

From the Bayou to CEO: Meet Michael Acaldo

MICHAEL ACALDO KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL when he applied to lead SVdP Baton Rouge. He was graduating from Louisiana State University and just looking for a job. His father filled him in on the details.

“By some miracle, they decided to give the opportunity to someone with no real experience,” he says. Thirty-four years and 11 months later, it’s safe to say that things worked out well.

What Michael noticed right away was that his experience of knowing very little about SVdP was not uncommon. “The Society has been in Baton Rouge since 1865 . . .but there was not much public branding relative to what they did.”

Michael understood that raising awareness of SVdP was essential — both for raising funds and more importantly, for reaching people in need. “Part of the Vincentian spirit is one of humility. But it’s critical you get the word out because that’s what evangelizes for your organization!” he exclaims. “You rob people of that gift if you’re not open about [your work].”

Over the next few decades, Michael’s mission was to help SVdP Baton Rouge become a leader — in providing hot meals, establishing a comprehensive sheltering program, and working with SVdP Conferences all across the region to prevent homelessness. Under his watch, the Baton Rouge Council was SVdP’s first Council in the country to start a foundation and the first to have a community pharmacy. But he also made it a top priority to make sure that the public knew what SVdP was doing. Michael ran major campaigns with all the local television and radio stations over the years, building a reputation around the region that led to sustained fundraising success.

“WE WERE SO BLESSED TO SERVE CHRIST!” he reflects. “Some days we would serve 500 people in our dining room – that’s an opportunity to serve Christ 500 times. And it’s so uplifting to be a witness to 1,500 volunteers helping those in need each month. Both the Vincentian family and those we were blessed to serve — they both touched my soul and my heart.”

Now as the new CEO of SVdP USA, it’s this heart of Christian service that has kept him grounded. “Humility and spiritual growth are the foundation of everything we do,” he says. “And the more we grow spiritually, the more we realize we have to grow.” With God’s grace, SVdP will surely grow under his careful stewardship.

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SVdP North Texas Spotlight: Providing Health and Financial Freedom
SVdP North Texas Spotlight: Providing Health and Financial Freedom 2560 1707 SVDP USA

Providing Health and Financial Freedom in North Texas

After spending 30 years working in finance, Luis Gonzalez sensed the Lord calling him to something new. After a cold call from a non-profit recruiter, Luis made a career change, and now he has been the CEO of SVdP North Texas since January 2022. Under Luis’ leadership, SVdP North Texas has expanded two signature programs that uniquely serve their community.

THE ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHARITABLE PHARMACY is the only freestanding charitable pharmacy in Texas. By partnering with 300 clinics around the state, it uses an Amazon model to ship prescriptions state-wide. The service is completely free to uninsured individuals and has grown from filling 7,000 prescriptions in 2018 to more than 103,000 — or $100 million of medications — in 2024!

“Our pharmacy saves lives,” Luis says. “Most patients receive medication for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.”

“A favorite story of mine about the impact of our Charitable Pharmacy actually involves one of our delivery drivers. Demetray* worked for us for four years delivering medications. After an unexpected hospitalization, he was prescribed daily medications that he couldn’t afford. We were able to enroll him in our program, provide his necessary medicines, and save him hundreds of dollars per month.”

THE MINI LOAN PROGRAM empowers people to find financial freedom by escaping cycles of debt and building healthy financial skills. SVdP North Texas connects individuals to partner banks and guarantees mini-loans of $500 to $4,000 to consolidate predatory payday and auto title loans into a low-interest loan with manageable monthly payments. To date, they have given out 475 loans. Recipients also receive financial coaching for the duration of the loan. When a loan is paid off, SVdP deposits $50 in the participant’s newly established savings account to encourage future saving.

“The spirituality of SVdP is unique. It’s a moment of encounter — encountering Christ in the poor and bringing Christ to them. It’s connecting our faith to works and action. Our motto is ‘Serve in Hope,’ and it is a blessing to show our neighbors in need that they can have hope because they are seen and loved.”

Luis is grateful for the opportunity to lead SVdP North Texas. “I want SVDP donors to know that their support enables us to show our neighbors that God cares for them, especially in their hour of greatest need. It is a privilege to work on behalf of our donors. Thank you for letting us serve in your name!”

St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy
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Serving the Uninsured at St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy
Serving the Uninsured at St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy 1920 2560 SVDP USA

For the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, one pervasive challenge across the communities we serve is poor health management, often exacerbated by lack of access to prescription medications.

The first pharmacy of its kind in Texas, the St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy serves the uninsured whose household income is at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, which for a family of four is an annual income of $25,701. Nearly 1 in 2 Texans have incomes at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

Since its founding in March 2018, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul North Texas’ freestanding charitable pharmacy, named the St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy, has filled the gap for many North Texans unable to afford medication. Nearly half of all Texans have incomes at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

As the pandemic’s effects continue to severely impact our neighbors in need, the pharmacy has been busier than ever, serving nearly 1,000 patients and averaging more than 400 prescriptions per week since March 2020. The St. Vincent de Paul team also innovated their service model by removing the transportation barriers that had previously prevented some clients from obtaining their medication by allowing for prescriptions to be mailed or personally delivered to those who need it.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul North Texas CEO Mike Pazzaglini recently spoke on the program’s expansion on Good Morning Texas. He noted that rather than a reduction in services, the St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy actually served exponentially more neighbors in need over the last year. “We went from 9,000 the year prior, to this year, where we filled over 17, 500 prescriptions.”

Says one pharmacy patient, Elsa R., “I am really grateful because I depend on my medication and I would not know how to find the means to pay.”

Neighbors in need aren’t the only ones who see the benefits of the pharmacy. Vincentian volunteer Martha Korioth notes that, “Vincentians are called to BE the face of Jesus TO others — and, to SEE the face of Jesus IN others. As a volunteer at the SVdP Pharmacy, I see the face of Jesus in the face of each Pharmacy staff member, and I see Jesus’ smiling face on each friend, who comes to pick up their medications. Remarkable growth [of the program]… is leading to Systemic Change for the poorest of the poor in this community.”

To learn more about how you can help support the St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy in Texas, or to learn whether you qualify for services, visit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul North Texas website.

St. Anthony Messenger cover story
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Society of St. Vincent de Paul featured in St. Anthony Messenger Magazine
Society of St. Vincent de Paul featured in St. Anthony Messenger Magazine 360 480 SVDP USA

St. Anthony Messenger magazine, an American Catholic family magazine published by the Franciscans of St. John the Baptist Province in Cincinnati, has selected the Society of St. Vincent de Paul as its March cover story.

The wide-ranging, multipage article touches upon several key aspects of the Society’s work in serving neighbors in need, including our food pantries, thrift stores, emergency financial assistance, and the Getting Ahead program. The print copy also includes many photos of Vincentian volunteers serving their communities, including several images of the Society’s international efforts.

While the article tells the Society’s story through the lens of the Bloomington, Indiana and Dayton, Ohio Conferences, programs from other Conferences across the country are also highlighted, including Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, North Texas, Chicago, and Cincinnati.

With a monthly circulation of more than 50,000, St. Anthony Messenger’s story provides the Society with a unique opportunity to reach new volunteers and donors. We hope you’ll read it and share it with your parish and community.

To read the article online, visit the St. Anthony Messenger website. To inquire about a hard copy of the issue, you can visit their subscription page.

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