Thursday, April 02, 2009

Good Works

On Monday, Walgreens announced an amazing program. For the rest of 2009, they're offering free visits to their Take Care Clinics for unemployed or uninsured people.

Free.

After March 31, if you lose your job, you and your spouse and your children can go to a Take Care Clinic between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm, and pay nothing for the visit. Their lab service, Quest Diagnostics, will provide free tests for strep and UTIs.

To qualify, you need an unemployment check stub or a federal or state unemployment determination letter. That's it.

Walgreens is gambling that the people who use the free services will tell others about the clinics--others who have insurance or can pay the $59 a visit usually costs. I'm guessing they're also banking that the buzz about the program will generate interest in the clinics and support for their stores.

It worked. I need some eyeliner and hand soap, and I'm going to Walgreens to get them. I don't even know where the closest Walgreens is, but today I'm going to find it.

Hal Rosenbluth, chairman of the Take Care Clinics division of Walgreens, says this is an experiment. They have no idea what the program is going to cost or how it might impact their business in other ways.

Please, if you get the chance, shop at a Walgreens. And tell the store manager you're there to support their Take Care program. I'd bet my last Advil they're tracking comments on the program. Let's convince them that good works.

2 comments:

kario said...

Thanks, Jerri! I love hearing about stuff like this and supporting it.

For me, I'm plugging the Kimpton Hotels - they support the Dress for Success program (clothing donations to help women dress for job interviews - they also do 'makeovers' to help them look ready and get off welfare) and run a damn fine hotel to boot.

Deb Shucka said...

It's so nice to read about a company doing something so compassionate. We need more of them.