Soda fountain will sweeten nonprofit pharmacy in Penn Hills

Root beer floats and egg creams from a soda fountain opening this year in Penn Hills will be just a bit sweeter than usual, as proceeds from those sales will help those who can't afford their prescription medications.

Penn Hills residents Shannon and Sean Parsons plan to bring a vintage soda fountain and nonprofit pharmacy to Penn Hills to help make medication accessible to those who need it. The shop, called the Lost and Found Pharmacy, is expected to open in March at 11555 Frankstown Road.

“The idea is that it's going to be very community-oriented,” said Shannon Parsons, a pharmacist and vice president of the organization. “Even if you don't get prescriptions, you can come in and help out.”

The pharmacy portion of the business will be available for use by anyone who takes prescription medications, she said.

The only difference from a conventional pharmacy is that any “profit” Lost and Found takes in will go into a fund to help those who fall into the Medicare “gap” or those don't have health insurance to afford their prescriptions.

Profits from the pharmacy and soda fountain will go into that fund, along with donations from several churches and private donors.

As a pharmacist, Parsons said, she's had to tell older customers when their $10 prescriptions skyrocketed to $300.

The Medicare “gap” can make affording prescriptions harder for senior citizens. Medicare pays 80 percent of prescription costs until patients hit their maximum, which varies annually but is $3,310 in 2016, according to Medicare's website.

After the maximum is reached, patients are responsible for a greater portion of their prescription costs.

“As long as there's money in our financial aid program, we will be able to help them,” Parsons said.

John Norton, director of public relations for the National Community Pharmacists Association in Alexandria, Va., said there are several nonprofit pharmacies across the country. He said these pharmacies are part of a larger movement in the private and public sectors to help those who fall into coverage gaps.

“I think people realize that the cost is too much for seniors sometimes and are working to try to limit the financial impact,” Norton said.

The Lost and Found Pharmacy received its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in 2009. Parsons said she and her husband have been working toward opening the nonprofit pharmacy for about 10 years, and have gained the support of several local churches including Penn Hills' Hebron Church, Trinity Tower United Methodist Church and Three Rivers Assembly of God.

The organization received nearly $100,000 in grants and donations in 2014, according to documents the group filed with the IRS.

Parsons and her husband have lived in Penn Hills for 16 years. She said it's an ideal location for the pharmacy, because of Penn Hills' older population.

U.S. Census data show that about 19 percent of Penn Hills residents are age 65 or older.

Customers with no health insurance would receive help based on their income, she said.

Other nonprofit pharmacies are located in Ohio and Florida, operating under a similar business model, Parsons said. But what will make Lost and Found unique, Parsons said, is the soda fountain.

She and her husband purchased the 1924 soda fountain, which includes a wavy bar, stools and the equipment for “throwback” beverages, in an online auction.

The fountain was originally in the Charlotte Hotel in North Carolina and was visited by celebrities, including Elvis Presley, Parsons said.

“The gum under one of the stools could have been Elvis',” she said, adding that all such debris of course had to be removed to bring the fountain up to Allegheny County Health Department standards.

The soda fountain part of Lost and Found also will have a stage for small performances and community events.

“We really want it to be a place where people want to come and talk to us and hang out and be with us,” Parsons said.

For more on the Lost and Found Pharmacy, which has a faith-based mission, go to lostandfoundrx.com.

Kelsey Shea is a staff writer for the Tribune-Review. She can be reached at 412-320-7845 or kshea@tribweb.com.