Nonprofit Pharmacy Announces Expansion in Johnson County to Increase Access to Affordable Medications

Nonprofit Pharmacy Announces Plan for Expansion in Johnson County to Increase Access to Affordable Medications 

 Kansas City, KS — November 20th, 2025 — At Pharmacy of Grace, we often hear stories from patients who could not afford their medications before coming to us. They were in and out of emergency rooms. They couldn’t hold a job because of their chronic illness. Sometimes patients just need some help until their new insurance begins. Sometimes they need more long-term support. The story we hear from patients after they discover our services is always the same: deep gratitude for finally being able to afford the medications they need.  

The mission at Pharmacy of Grace, a nonprofit pharmacy in Kansas City, KS, has always been helping people afford their medications and providing compassionate care. Now, it is entering a new phase.  

Pharmacy of Grace has officially launched a capital campaign to fund the opening of a second full-service location in Shawnee, Kansas, expanding its impact to meet growing needs in Johnson County. The new pharmacy is expected to open in spring 2026.  

The expansion comes at a critical time for residents who struggle to afford their prescriptions. Johnson County is often viewed as a prosperous area, but many families face significant barriers to healthcare. According to data from the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), 93,000 residents live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, 32,000 live in deep poverty, and more than 31,000 residents lack health insurance. 

The neighborhoods surrounding the new Shawnee pharmacy location experience some of the highest poverty and uninsured rates in the county. Within walking distance of the site, 13,000 residents live nearby, including 2,191 uninsured individuals. One block away is Shawanoe Elementary, a Title I school where 86% of students qualify for free lunch and 85% are students of color.  

“People don’t always see the need in Johnson County, but it is real and growing,” said John Yost, Co-Founder of Pharmacy of Grace. “Our expansion to Shawnee allows us to serve families who are falling through the cracks. These are our neighbors – people who are living with chronic conditions, working parents without insurance, and children who deserve the same access to care as anyone else. This new pharmacy brings our mission closer to where they live.” 

Pharmacy of Grace currently operates a full-service pharmacy in Wyandotte County, which opened in 2022 and has already served thousands of patients who face financial, language, and transportation barriers. In 2023, the organization began delivering medications to Mercy & Truth clinic patients in Shawnee, revealing the significant unmet need that helped shape the decision to create a second location. 

To support the expansion, Pharmacy of Grace has launched the Expanding Medication Access for Healthier Lives Campaign, which will fund equipment, technology, staffing, medications, and supplies needed to open the Shawnee pharmacy and expand services across the metro. 

In support of the campaign, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund has awarded a $65,000 matching challenge, doubling every donation made toward the expansion.