Mobile free pharmacy offers no-cost medicines in Garner Saturday

Drugstore basics that can strain a family budget will be free in Garner on Saturday when NC MedAssist brings its Mobile Free Pharmacy to Poole Family YMCA, 2110 Aversboro Road, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The stop is open to the public, and NC MedAssist says no ID, proof of residency, income verification or registration is required for the over-the-counter giveaway. The pharmacy will stock pain relievers, cold and cough medicine, antihistamines, digestive aids, vitamins and children’s medicines, subject to availability.

For families juggling school illnesses, spring allergies and routine aches, that mix covers some of the most commonly bought medicines in a household medicine cabinet. The event gives Wake County residents a chance to leave with basic supplies at no cost, instead of paying retail prices that can add up fast at the register.

The Garner visit is part of a two-day run that starts Friday in Durham at The River Church, 4425 Ben Franklin Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. NC MedAssist’s event calendar also shows registration for the Durham stop ran from March 24 through April 17, while the Wake County stop requires no registration at all.

NC MedAssist has been building this model for years. The program began in 1997 as MedAssist of Mecklenburg, expanded to all adults in Mecklenburg County in 2005, became NC MedAssist in 2009 when it widened statewide, added over-the-counter medicines in 2012 and launched the Mobile Free Pharmacy in 2014. The organization later added an OTC free store in Charlotte in 2018 and began online pre-orders during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The nonprofit says the mobile pharmacy has visited more than 75 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. In fiscal 2024, NC MedAssist served 67,104 individuals and families, including 51,090 through its Free OTC Medicine Program, and dispensed more than $61.6 million in medication value. That scale is what makes a single Saturday stop in Garner more than a handout: it is a direct way to offset a household expense that never seems to shrink.