FreeStore/FoodBank

112 E. Liberty Street
Cincinnati OH 45210
513-241-1064

Project Title
Co-pay Bank for Prescription Medications
Grant Description
To establish a co-pay bank to assist patients unable to use their insurance benefits due to financial hardships
Focus Area
Strengthening Primary Care Providers to the Poor
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$50,000
Year Awarded
1999
Grant Duration
6 months
Results Neighborhood providers of primary health care to low-income people are balancing declining financial resources with demands to serve working-poor patients with no insurance coverage. The FreeStore/FoodBank will help strengthen primary care providers to the poor by creating a fund to provide prescription co-payments for indigent or uninsured patients, and by providing surplus over-the-counter medicines to providers who serve low-income patients.

This "Co-Pay Bank" will permit indigent patients to receive pharmacy services from clinics and in-patient facilities as they are discharged, allowing them to get the medication needed to prevent further hospitalization. This service provides a co-payment for the medication to the primary care providers. The FreeStore/FoodBank will maintain a database of eligible patients and clinics providing their care.

This service is one of three components of the Pharmaceuticals for the Underserved Project; other components include cooperative purchasing of prescription drugs at Public Health Service pricing, and over-the-counter medications for health clinics. The FreeStore/FoodBank will provide surplus over-the-counter medications to the inner-city clinics through its relationship with America’s Second Harvest, the national association of food banks. The community health impact of this project will arise from the fact that, with no new funding on the table, resources available to neighborhood-based health care providers will be leveraged to maximize benefits.

The FreeStore/FoodBank, founded in 1971, helps prevent hunger and homelessness by providing a host of emergency food, clothing, housing, and payee services. The agency also operates a regional food bank, providing food to 550 member non-profit agencies in 20 counties in southwestern Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana.

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Project Title
Hamilton County Welfare Employment Study
Grant Description
To determine the prevalence of mental health disorders, neurological disorders, addictive disorders, or cognitive deficits in the adults heading hard to serve families who are dependent on public financial assistance
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$57,515
Year Awarded
1998
Grant Duration
6 months
Results The 69 female participants: were aged 18-45, had one or more dependent children, were on Ohio Works First cash assistance for at least 12 months, had 12 years of schooling or less, worked less than 90 hours if they were working, and had repeated difficulty profiting from jobs programs intended to help them secure lasting employment. Data were collected in six content areas: (a) home and family history, (b) employment status and history, (c) educational status and history, (d) employment status, job skills, and employment problems, (e) health status including physical, medical, neurological, mental, emotional problems, and (f) legal status.

The project team exceeded the goals of the grant in the comprehensive assessment, findings, discussion, recommendations, and written report. Inability to find an appropriate source of subjects lengthened the project but was overcome by the persistence of the study team (particularly the Principal Investigator).

Limited intelligence, mental health concerns, and a police record appear to be key impediments to employment.

In this study:

  • 52 (76%) had intelligence in the range of "borderline intellectual functioning" or "mild mental retardation"
  • 46 (68%) screened positive for mental health concerns
  • 31 (46%) had a police record

Of the participants:

  • 17 (25%) had only one impediment to employment
  • 32 (47%) had two impediments to employment
  • 16 (23%) had all three impediments to employment

The Principal Investigator of this study noted that many of these women were sent to job programs that were beyond their abilities. Because of their impediments, they were unsuccessful and often sanctioned from welfare programs. An assessment such as the one done for this study could identify women having difficulty in traditional employment programs who are too disabled to maintain normal employment. The identified women could then be managed through programs for the disabled.

To read a summary of this report, click here. To read the full report, please visit http://www.welfareinfo.org/cincinnatiworks.htm.

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Project Title
Health and Hygiene Program
Grant Description
To provide nonprofits and emergency service providers access to over-the-counter products and nonprescription medications in all 20 counties
Focus Area
Other Health
Region Served
Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland, and Warren Counties, OH; Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton Counties, KY; Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland Counties, IN
Award Amount
$70,000
Year Awarded
2001
Grant Duration
12 months
Results This grant provided nonprofits access to donated health and hygiene products and nonprescription medications for free distribution to low-income clients in all 20 counties. 

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Project Title
Health and Hygiene Challenge Grant
Grant Description
To match funds raised tor the Health & Hygiene program
Focus Area
Other Health
Region Served
Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland, and Warren Counties, OH; Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton Counties, KY; Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland Counties, IN
Award Amount
$13,557.50
Year Awarded
2004
Grant Duration
12 months

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Project Title
Health Problems of Single Indigent Men
Grant Description
To identify the health needs of men who frequent the FreeStore/FoodBank
Focus Area
Other Health
Region Served
Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland, and Warren Counties, OH; Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton Counties, KY; Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland Counties, IN
Award Amount
$59,126
Year Awarded
2002
Grant Duration
18 months

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Project Title
Over the Counter Medications
Grant Description
To provide nonprofit emergency service providers access to donated over-the-counter products and nonprescription medications in 20 counties
Focus Area
Other Health
Region Served
Hamilton, County, OH
Award Amount
$30,000
Year Awarded
2001
Grant Duration
24 months
Results

The OTC Program distributed 77,416 pounds of product to 250 member agencies during the six- month course of the grant and met the $10,000 challenge level. The product distributed in 2001 has a retail value of $4.2 million dollars. Jan Boldt has aggressively sought product. There are fewer products available from Second Harvest than originally anticipated. The program is now involved in Kroger reclamation and Whitehall Robbins has recently agreed to ship product.

There is strong indication that the program will require ongoing fundraising and/or limited operation support ($20-25,000 annually). The FreeStore cannot sell the product for more than 16 cents/pound. Their development staff has increased efforts to fundraise these dollars. A grant proposal for additional funding has been submitted to Target Corporation.

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