The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted historically and intentionally excluded communities, exacerbating health inequities, food insecurity, and homelessness. To address this in Indianapolis, Indiana, we formed a partnership with Gleaners Foodbank of Indiana, St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, Wheeler Mission for Men Homeless Shelter and Wheeler Mission Women and Children Homeless Shelter. The Center for Health Excellence, Quality and Innovation (CHEQI) staff and volunteers, consisting primarily of pharmacists and interdisciplinary students, provide food pantry clients lovingly referred to as neighbors and homeless shelter guests health education and services, including more than 3,000 COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, harm reduction services (e.g., Free Naloxone and Deterra® medication disposal bags), tobacco cessation and planed expansions to include cardiovascular risk reduction services such as blood pressure screening with referrals to wrap-around health and social services.

The team at the Center for Health Excellence, Quality and Innovation (CHEQI), comprised mostly of pharmacists and interdisciplinary students, offers health education and services to individuals at the food pantry, affectionately called neighbors, and those at homeless shelters. These services include vaccinations for COVID-19 and flu, harm reduction services (like providing Free Naloxone and Deterra® medication disposal bags), and cardiovascular risk reduction services, such as blood pressure screening with referrals to comprehensive health and social services.