nurturing communities
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
At Mint Health+Drugs, we’re more than just a pharmacy. We’re committed to making our communities healthier places.
Mint Communities is one of the ways we work together with organizations such as non-profits, businesses, governments and health organizations to make a difference in the lives of Albertans. We believe in supporting causes that matter in our communities through health and social programs and collaborations with organizations—large and small. Our guiding principles motivate us to improve lives, strive for innovation in our work, and nurture and teaching families.
If you’re interested in working with Mint or want to learn more about how we support our communities, please contact us.
our social enterprise
ACE TEAM
The ACE Team is an innovative pharmacist-led, multidisciplinary outreach team that was created to fill a gap in care for individuals living with health and social inequity. They serve some of Edmonton’s most vulnerable individuals and have become specialized in managing complex health needs including substance use disorders, mental health concerns, HIV, and hepatitis.
The ACE Team works in collaboration with prominent stakeholders such as the Northern Alberta Program, and the Boyle McCauley Health Centre to address an individual’s social needs, such as housing, food, and financial security, as a means of improving their broader health outcomes and medication-taking behaviours.
ACE works to:
- Improve medication adherence
- Connect clients to healthcare
- Support clients in getting and staying housed
- Works with the Edmonton Food Bank to provide food hampers to clients
- Help clients rebuild their trust in the healthcare system and achieve their personal goals
ACE meets its clients where they’re at and provides outreach services to shelters, clients’ homes, and the streets of Edmonton. Often, the team must first address a patient’s social needs, such as housing, food, and financial security, as a means of improving their broader health outcomes and medication-taking behaviours. They accomplish this through working in collaboration with a variety of professionals from the Northern Alberta Program, Boyle McCauley Health Centre, and other community resources.
The team has gone on to receive recognition including two Avenue Top 40 under 40 (2018) winners and a pharmacy industry-leading APEX award in 2017. In 2018, the ACE Team received support from Alberta Health Services through the provision of a demonstration grant.
Stores
Annual Community
Events
Travel Clinics
engaged with our
COMMUNITIES
Mint Communities and ACE are all about providing unique community-focused initiatives to help improve the lives of the people in need around us.
Take a look below at some of our previous efforts!
During the pandemic, shelters were less able to provide hepatitis C services as a result of reduced capacity. There were also some provincial restrictions that hindered access to hepatitis C treatment and care, including the closure of laboratories and a backlog of requests for medical coverage.
That’s why Mint Health + Drugs (Blue Bottle), CUPS Calgary Liver Clinic, and the Calgary Drop-In Centre have partnered to offer this Hepatitis C program. Click here to read the full article!
We are excited to have partnered with APSA for our annual one of a kind tournament.
Pharmacy students across all 4 years of the program have been divided into 10 different teams.
The winning team will be awarded the coveted and elusive Mint Communities Cup at Blue & Gold this Spring.
Mint Day
We had a panel speakers and students were able to ask questions about anything from practice environments to income.
We ensured students had transparent and open discussions. Over 200 students came which was one of the biggest turnouts if not the biggest turnout for APSA events this year!
Panel Speakers:
Andrew Noh:
Andrew is the Pharmacy Manager/Owner at Mint Health + Drugs: Franklin Station in Calgary. Since graduating from the University of Alberta in 2014, Andrew has gained a passion for providing support for the vulnerable population and won an APEX Future of Pharmacy award for his work in 2017.
Shawn Knutson:
Shawn is a community pharmacist working for Sherwood Mint Health & Drugs in Sherwood Park. He graduated from the University of Alberta in 2015, and received his Additional Prescribing Authority in 2016 and was a Future of Pharmacy APEX award winner in 2019.
Klaudia Zabrzenski:
Klaudia is the co-founder, owner and Program Manager for the Adherence and Community Engagement (ACE) Team, an innovative pharmacist-led community outreach team in Edmonton that has gandered provincial recognition, including the 2017 WL Boddy Pharmacy Team APEX award.
Cole Mondor:
Cole is the owner and pharmacy manager at Mint Health + Drugs: Church Street. Having graduated recently in 2015 and obtained his APA in 2016, Cole has had a tremendous positive impact in his community, working with the Boyle McCauley Health Center to improve patient outcomes while serving ice cream and coffee in a unique practice environment with a focus on addictions and mental health ailments.
Mint Health + Drugs at the Edmonton Expo Centre supporting vulnerable communities.
we help with
HOUSING
What first started as a small affordable housing initiative for 20 complex clients struggling with stable housing, has quickly grown into a comprehensive system of affordable housing, medical, and socioeconomic support.
Clients of Mint Communities are receiving comprehensive support, including food hampers, wellness check-ins, and comprehensive medical care to ensure a well-rounded approach. Our social outreach team and team of volunteers also ensure that clients are receiving consistent companionship, education, and the social and mental health support that they require.
Today, Mint Communities continues to coordinate access to housing to support the city’s most vulnerable, including those with indigenous backgrounds, marginalized older folks, and those who are veterans through working in collaboration with the city’s most prominent non-profits, including the Bissell Centre, Homeward Trust, Boyle Street Community Services.
mint brings
HOPE
Hepatitis C Outreach Program for Micro-Elimination
The Hepatitis C Outreach Program for Micro-elimination (HOPE) project is a community initiative in partnership with Abbvie to provide wrap-around medical and health supports to marginalized individuals living with or at high-risk of acquiring Hepatitis C.
This project is a 6-month micro-elimination program for hepatitis C within Ambrose Place, and the George Spady Medical Detox Centre. Ambrose Place is a well recognized permanent supportive housing (PSH) facility operated by Niginan Housing non-profit that utilizes culturally sensitive practices towards Indigenous populations of Edmonton that have experienced homelessness, addictions, mental health concerns and lifelong trauma. The George Spady Detox is one of two medical detox programs in Edmonton, and is a 35-bed unit located at the George Spady Centre in Edmonton’s downtown core. The Medical Detox provides individuals with a safe, fully medically supported space to withdraw from substances, and provides individualized care with the support of the Detox team which includes physicians, nursing staff, addiction counsellors, social workers, and support staff.
In mid-November 2020, Mint Communities will provide screening, education, prevention, engagement and treatment services in an effort to assist with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030 with the underserved and vulnerable priority populations.
Success Story
Robert's Story
This Christmas, Robert will have a place to call home.
Before Robert was housed, Robert had been living chronically homeless for decades.
“I was kicked out by my parents when I was thirteen or fourteen years old” he explains. Since then, he’s spent time in and out of jail for different offenses that he had to resort to doing just so that he could survive the harsh elements, and conditions of being homeless.
Like many others who have gone through similar lived experiences,
Robert has struggled with addictions his entire teen and adult life.
Unfortunately, serious opiate usage resulted in Robert ending up in the hospital.“I nearly died from it” as he describes his most recent hospital experience.
During his stay in the hospital, Robert was connected with a support worker who committed to getting him into permanent housing for the first time in his life since his teens. However, Robert soon learned this was not going to be an easy path as public health authorities declared a state of emergency in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, many community support agencies such as emergency accommodation shelters, and housing agencies closed their doors in an effort to ensure public safety. Fortunately, Robert found interim housing for three months at the Coliseum Inn, where he had connected with an outreach pharmacist, Choi, from Mint Health + Drugs. After hearing about his story, Choi worked with Robert’s outreach worker and referred him to our Mint Communities housing worker, Richard. From there, the team worked tirelessly with Robert and his support worker, and after 4 weeks, had successfully housed him within Mint Communities affordable housing program located within Cloverdale Apartments.
As for how Robert feels about his whole experience working with Mint, and having his first home in over 50 years? “I’m happy that Richard comes by and checks on me several times a week, and that the pharmacy is always helping with my medications” – he says. After living with years of instability, Robert can finally relax and enjoy the comfort of having certainty in being able to have a place to call home.
The Vision
CEDAR DEN PROJECT
With the vision of making our communities healthier places in mind, Mint Communities will expand its reach to provide wrap-around supports for veterans in its first-ever landmark project – Cedar Den.
Cedar Den is a 19-unit apartment complex located in West Edmonton within the quiet neighborhood of Britannia Youngstown.
Cedar Den residents will have access to a myriad of outreach supports including, health, social, and housing supports from our diverse team of prescribing pharmacists, nurses, housing and social workers.
Making Our Communities
Healthier Places
check out our
check out our
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
We’re proud to partner with many great organizations including the Alex Community Health Centre, Telus Health, Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre, Little Warriors and the Robin Hood Association on making an impact in our communities and many more.
