Appomattox Drugs is beneficiary of Ettrick Medication Assistance Grant

The Ettrick Neighborhood Group, from left to right: Anne Hill Trask, Bonnie Inge Bell, Marsha Sharpe, Charles Epps, Brenda Epps, Nancy Ross, Dr. Randi Smith

The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the Ettrick Neighborhood Business Foundation to assist low income residents of the Ettrick community to purchase prescription medications. The award of $10,000 will fund the Ettrick Medication Assistance Program for another year. The program was implemented in 2013 with an initial award of $10,000.

The program is designed to achieve two outcomes. The first is to assist low income families to obtain medications that improve health so that adults can work and children can attend schools and reach educational goals. The second is to develop a model of partnership with the private sector that can be replicated to meet other community needs.

The Ettrick Community Medication Assistance Program is a public sector/private sector partnership. Funding is provided by the Ettrick Neighborhood Business Foundation, and the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services makes an assessment of need. Referrals come mainly from Communities in Schools staff at Ettrick Elementary School. Families who are approved for assistance purchase prescriptions at Appomattox Drugs located in the historic Old Ettrick Post Office building in the community of Ettrick.

The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services received an innovation award from the Virginia Department of Social Services in May 2015 for this unique partnership.