In response to Hurricane Harvey, which has brought devastating flooding to southeastern Texas, NACDS chain and associate member companies have mobilized–in collaboration with public health partners and emergency preparedness authorities–to meet the ongoing needs of people in Texas affected by the storm.
NACDS traditionally documents the engagement of member companies to provide ideas about how interested individuals and companies can lend assistance – particularly since long-term support will be necessary for the affected areas. To provide new or updated information, please email NACDS’ Lisa Boylan. This information will be updated regularly.
To date, these are the member actions NACDS has observed in media reports:
- Brookshire Brothers dispatched trucks with water and other essentials from their southernmost stores. Brookshire Brothers pharmacies were available to access and refill prescriptions for customers, regardless of displacement. The company’s catering division spearheaded a pop-up feeding mission for hundreds of people seeking shelter in the region. Volunteers and other Brookshire Brothers service partners cooked for 600 individuals in the Beaumont, Texas area with food the company donated.
- CVS Pharmacy and CVS Caremark have activated a process that allows pharmacists to provide one-time emergency refills of a 10-day supply of medication for plan members impacted in the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey. CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation announced $200,000 in cash and in-kind product donations to organizations helping with relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Harvey including $50,000 each to the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the Red Cross, and $25,000 to the Salvation Army. CVS will also match employee contributions up to $25,000. CVS is also working with the Texas Department of State Health Services to set up temporary pharmacies in emergency shelters in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. Pharmacists at the stations will help people refill prescriptions and offer counseling. CVS has also set up a mobile unit outside of the NRG Center stadium and conference facility in Houston, where people can pick up prescriptions, get vaccines and buy over-the-counter medications.
- H-E-B activated its “Emergency Response Team” to provide relief to communities near the Texas coast affected by the storm. The emergency team also includes disaster relief units and H-E-B mobile kitchens. To date, H‑E‑B has donated a total of $1 million, which includes Food Bank donations, Disaster Relief Units and monetary commitments.
- The Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of health insurance company Humana, gave a $250,000 immediate grant to the Red Cross.
- Hy-Vee, Inc. announced it will be accepting customers’ donations for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Hy-Vee will match all donations received from August 30 to September 30, up to $100,000. Funds will be provided to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts, including supporting volunteer efforts, opening shelters and providing meals and other supplies.
- Market Basket Pharmacies said they have extra truckloads of essential products for inclement weather being shipped in, including water, batteries, canned meats, bread and other essentials.
- Publix Super Markets established a program to offer its customers and associates a way to directly assist those areas affected by Hurricane Harvey. In addition, Publix Super Markets Charities donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross for relief efforts for the affected areas.
- Southeastern Grocers, together with the Southeastern Grocers Foundation, announced the launch of a community donation program in support of the American Red Cross’ Disaster Relief to assist those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
- Target committed to $3 million to aid in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts on Sept. 5, in addition to the $500,000 the company donated on Aug. 28 to national disaster relief organizations. Additionally, Target provided $100 Target gift cards to more than 10,000 of its team members in the impacted areas to help them get the supplies that they need to take care of themselves and their families. Lastly, an additional $500,000 in cash and products will be donated across several different organizations that provide community support, including a food donation to Feeding America and additional funds to Target stores to use for supporting local nonprofits.
- The Kroger Co. Foundation announced the commitment of $100,000 to the Houston Food Bank to supply operational support and meals to families affected by the floods. For every social share of the #KrogerCares post, the Foundation will donate $5 to the Food Bank, up to $100,000. Additionally, Kroger is inviting customers to join giving efforts by donating through in-store programs.
- Walgreens is donating food items, first aid and medical equipment to the American Red Cross emergency shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston and working with United Airlines to transport the first aid and medical items from Chicago to Houston on a flight with relief supplies. Walgreens has committed to a $200,000 donation to the American Red Cross relief efforts, and customers also can donate to the American Red Cross at store checkouts. More than $10 million was raised by Walgreens and Duane Reade customers nationwide for American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief efforts through donations at store checkouts.
- Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed up to $20 million in support of relief efforts in response to the severe weather impacting the Gulf region. This includes $10 million focused on support of American Red Cross shelters and $2 million in support of the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund at the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will also give additional cash and product donations totaling $10 million to support the Salvation Army, Feeding America, Convoy of Hope, Team Rubicon and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund at the Greater Houston Community Foundation, as well as other organizations assisting food distribution, sheltering and cleanup efforts. Walmart is supporting sheltering operations in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Shreveport, La., and Alexandria, La. The company has made pharmacy services available onsite in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas and is serving eight other shelters in the Dallas area, Houston area, Austin and Alexandria, by providing prescription related counseling at no cost to evacuees. In addition, 30×60 pop up donation centers have been set up in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston and Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas that are providing free merchandise and supplies to evacuees.
NACDS has engaged with key federal, state and local stakeholders to offer assistance and information in response to Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, building on pre-existing relationships. A key priority is getting the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) activated through the governor’s office, which provides access to medication, vaccines, and medical supplies/equipment for the uninsured population in affected areas.
Throughout the disaster response, NACDS has kept its Pharmacy Operations and Care Committee and its overall membership apprised of new information being shared by federal, state and local officials, in addition to other partners including Healthcare Ready, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the healthcare supply chain, to provide ongoing assistance and coordination of response efforts. Healthcare Ready recently activated Rx Open, an online mapping tool which shows open pharmacies in Texas and Louisiana. Currently, NACDS is pulling together an emergency preparedness contact list for members that operate in affected areas to be shared with state, local and federal partners.
