JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Three Walgreens stores have shut down across Jacksonville’s Northside in less than a year, and neighbors say it’s only making life harder in communities already struggling with access to basic needs.
Councilman Reggie Gaffney Jr. brought neighbors together alongside Councilmembers Rahman Johnson and Ju’Coby Pittman. He says the closures create bigger challenges in areas already considered food deserts.
“As a councilman, I just want to get in front of this issue to see what we can do to assist Walgreens and constituents,” Gaffney said. “It goes hand in hand from a pharmacy to a grocery store. It’s a desert.”
Ramona Manning-Badger lives with spina bifida and depends on daily medication. Since her Dunn Avenue pharmacy closed in June, she says the Lem Turner near Dunn Avenue location has been overwhelmed.
“They had apparently changed everybody over to Lem Turner, and it was so many people there trying to get their medications,” Manning-Badger said. “I have to take my medication every day.”
Now, she fears that the store could be next to close.
“It’s just going to be really inconvenient if they’re getting rid of the Walgreens,” she said. “They should definitely be trying to help us out as far as the people who need the medications, where we can go and get those medications.”
Gaffney says Walgreens was invited to the meeting in hopes of finding solutions.
“Well, that’s the purpose of today’s meeting, just to come up with some solutions, some ideas,” he said. “Just to try to mediate, communicate, and rectify this issue with Walgreens closing.”
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