Over-the-counter medicines at Shepherd's Cove, keeping Michiana healthy

ELKHART, Ind. -- Imagine you had to choose between paying your rent, and buying cold medicine for your sick child. It's a choice many across the Michiana area are forced to make.

Now, one nonprofit organization is making sure you don't have to make that choice any longer.

It's a warehouse full of clothes, household items, and lots of boxes. 

Now, Shepherd's Cove in Elkhart is added a little pharmacy to the mix. 

"We're going to get people in the Michiana area healthy. We're going to help them stay healthy. We have over-the-counter vitamins, cold medicine," describes Sharlee Morain, the Executive Director of the Cove.

She knows first-hand what it is important to someone living on a budget. 

"I've been on food stamps, so I know what you can and cannot buy on that," says Morain. "Where do I get the money when I do get sick? Where do I get cold medicine? Where do I get aspirin?"

So, when money is tight, people don't often put their health as a priority.

But now, they can.

With three separate grants from Walmart, Shepherd's Cove was able to stock up on a discount.

"All of that you just saw? We spent $280 on," adds Morain. "You would spend close to fifty-thousand dollars [on that] in retail."

The Cove hasn't hasn't had as many clients as usual.

Morain says more people are working and are able to feed and clothe their families.

But that doesn't always leave room for healthcare necessities.

"Insurance doesn't cover any of that. It comes from out of pocket. Their pockets are really shallow," she says. "They're working for rent money and utility money. They don't have the pockets for vitamins or Tylenol."

Shepherd's Cove will begin allow clients to pick out two medications/vitamins each month, starting Saturday, July 1 at noon.