A Strategic Step Forward for NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist is entering an important next phase in how we serve people across North Carolina.

As healthcare needs continue to grow and access gaps become more complex, we are making intentional decisions about how to use our space, resources, partnerships, and staff talent in ways that allow us to reach more people, more equitably, and more sustainably. Our goal is clear: to strengthen access to medicine and health resources for individuals and families who need us across the state.

One of the ways we are moving into this next phase is by ending services through the OTC Free Store. The final day of OTC Free Store operations will be June 18.

For eight years, the OTC Free Store has served an important purpose. It has provided free over-the-counter medicine and health supplies to people who needed support, relief, and care. We are deeply grateful to every person and family who trusted NC MedAssist to serve them through the store.

We are also especially grateful to the many volunteers who gave their time, kindness, and energy and our donors who invested to make the OTC Free Store possible.  Both helped create a welcoming and meaningful experience for every person during every visit, and their impact will remain part of NC MedAssist’s story.

While OTC Free Store services are ending, NC MedAssist will continue providing free over-the-counter items in other ways. Going forward, individuals will be able to access OTC items through our Mobile Free Pharmacy events, special distribution events, and product distribution through trusted partners.  These opportunities will be provided on our website.

This shift allows NC MedAssist to move beyond one fixed location and build a more equitable statewide access model. Instead of asking people to come to us, we will be able to place more focus on reaching high-need areas across North Carolina, especially places where people have limited access to medicine, transportation, healthcare resources, and safety-net support.

Over time, the former OTC Free Store space will also be repurposed to support statewide projects, special distribution events, partner programming, and expanded warehouse capacity. This will help NC MedAssist receive, store, organize, and distribute more medicine and health supplies where they are needed most.

This is not a step back from service. It is a strategic step forward.

NC MedAssist is growing its impact with greater focus and intention. We are strengthening how we serve, who we partner with, and how we reach people who may otherwise fall through the cracks. We are also continuing to strengthen access to our Free Pharmacy Program, which provides free prescription medication for uninsured North Carolinians who qualify.

In the coming months, we look forward to sharing more about this next phase, including upcoming distribution efforts, local resources, and opportunities for supporters, funders, volunteers, and partners to help expand this work.

Thank you for believing in NC MedAssist and for helping us serve North Carolina with compassion, purpose, and hope.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reply to this email, or contact us directly.

Sincerely,

Brenda Vass
CEO