Purdue University unveiled the Patterson-McCallum-Mareta Charitable Pharmacy in partnership with Gleaners Food Bank in Indianapolis. Pictured L-R: John Allen, Marvin and Melanie Richardson Department Head of Pharmacy Practice; Eric Barker, Vice President for Health Affairs and Jeannie and Jim Chaney Dean of Pharmacy; Jasmine Gonzalvo, Chris and Theresa Dimos Director of CHEQI; and Brooke Patterson, PMMC founding donor. (Purdue University Photo/CHEQI)
July 25, 2025
INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue University unveiled the newly established Purdue Patterson-McCallum-Mareta Charitable Pharmacy (PMMCP) on Thursday (July 24), at Gleaners Food Bank’s south Indianapolis facility, marking a major step forward in improved access to essential medications for Indiana residents.
The charitable pharmacy, slated to open in the fall, originated from a partnership between Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and the Purdue College of Pharmacy’s Center for Health Excellence, Quality and Innovation (CHEQI), and is designed to be a safe, trusted space where all individuals receive accessible, high-quality pharmacy-based care. It’s located at Gleaners’ southwest Indianapolis facility to allow clients to receive both food and essential medications in a single visit.
“This pharmacy will create measurable health improvements through accessible, pharmacy-based care,” said Jasmine Gonzalvo, the Chris and Theresa Dimos Director of CHEQI and a clinical professor in Purdue’s Department of Pharmacy Practice. “By expanding access to essential medications, we’re not just treating illness, we’re closing gaps in care, reducing long-term health care costs and helping those in Indiana live longer, healthier lives.”
PMMCP will serve uninsured and underinsured individuals who meet income-based qualifications. Eligible individuals will receive medications free of charge, along with health education and pharmacist-managed services. The pharmacy team will also find resources for affordable medication options to ensure those who are ineligible for free medication still receive care. Medications from the charitable pharmacy will use Pillumina’s innovative recyclable aluminum pill bottles, supporting both patient care and sustainability.
The pharmacy’s founding donor is Purdue Pharmacy alumna Brooke Patterson, who elected to name the pharmacy in honor of her family.
“It is a great honor to join forces with CHEQI and Purdue in this vital initiative,” said Patterson, who serves as a therapeutic area lead for Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. “Together we are deeply committed to ensuring that everyone has fair and equitable access to health care, and the creation of this pharmacy embodies that vision. It aims to bridge gaps in access while also offering Purdue pharmacy students a chance to understand and practice compassionate health care. This initiative is named after my family, whose endless love, support and selflessness have motivated me to pursue this mission.”
The initiative reflects a shared mission between CHEQI, Gleaners Food Bank and Patterson to improve health outcomes across Indiana by addressing one of the state’s most pressing needs — access to affordable medications.
“This collaboration allows us to meet people where they are and to treat health more holistically,” said Fred Glass, president and CEO of Gleaners Food Bank. “Food insecurity and health insecurity often go hand in hand. Now we can help address both.”
While the pharmacy will open this fall, services will be expanded over the next year. CHEQI will oversee pharmacy operations and clinical services, applying expertise in pharmacy care innovation to ensure quality, safety and measurable health improvements.
Questions about the Patterson-McCallum-Mareta Charitable Pharmacy can be directed to cheqi@purdue.edu.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
About Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
Gleaners was founded in 1980 by a group of citizens committed to the belief that no one should go hungry. Since that time, we have grown to be the largest hunger relief organization in Indiana. As one of 200 member food banks in the Feeding America Network, Gleaners provides nutritious food to roughly one-third of the food insecure population in Indiana. We achieve this through our own initiatives and by serving as a wholesale distributor through a committed network of more than 300 network partners in our 21-county service area. Learn more at https://www.gleaners.org/.
About Pillumina
Pillumina is committed to reducing the plastic created by the billions of plastic prescription pill bottles discarded every year with an innovative and sustainable aluminum pharmaceutical packaging alternative. The aluminum pill bottles offer a durable, safe, infinitely recyclable and environmentally responsible alternative to traditional plastic pill bottles. Pillumina is helping pharmacies accelerate sustainability goals while advocating for both patient and planet care.
