RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health has finalized a purchase agreement with Hope Pharmacy in Richmond. On Tuesday, Feb. 10, VCU Health announced that it finalized a purchase agreement with Hope Pharmacy in Richmond's East End, as part of its ongoing effort to provi de accessible care for residents, according to the Feb. 10 release. The agreement was completed in late January and will allow the same staff to continue working, though it will now serve as VCU Health Hope Pharmacy. In 2019, Hope Pharmacy was founded by Shantelle Brown, who had returned home to Richmond after receiving a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Howard University. She worked at multiple pharmacies but wanted to create a community-centered pharmacy that focused on education and personalized care. Brown opened Hope Pharmacy inside The Market at 25th on April 29, 2019, per a release. “With its strong commitment to healthy communities and high-quality care, Hope Pharmacy is a natural fit for VCU Health and aligns well with our mission,” said Marlon Levy, senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health. “We are thrilled to welcome the compassionate team led by Dr. Brown into our academic health system, where we can grow and learn together.”  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the pharmacy served as a vaccination hub for community members. However, increasing operating costs and changes led Brown to search for new ways to continue serving the community. Steve Market, the hramcy's landlord, encouraged her to reach out to a long-time community partner, Sheryl Garland, who is chief of health impact at VCU Health. Garland saw how Hope Pharmacy has affected the community along with The Hub, located next to the pharmacy, which offers prevention screenings, counseling, fitness activities, financial literacy programs and more, according to the release. “Joining forces with Dr. Brown to create the VCU Health Hope Pharmacy only made sense,” Garland said. “There is a shared commitment to ensuring East End residents have access to care and services in their community.”  From left to right: Shantelle Brown, founder of Hope Pharmacy; Sierra Johnson, certified pharmacy technician and Donna E. Thomas, staff pharmacist. (Photo: VCU Health)Hope Pharmacy, located at The Market at 25th in Richmond's East End neighborhood. (Photo: VCU Health) Dr. Brown of Hope Pharmacy. (Photo: VCU Health) Before discussions began about Hope Pharmacy and VCU Health coming together, the pharmacy served as a training site for VCU School of Pharmacy students, as well as the VCU Health Hub at 25th -- located just steps away from Hope Pharmacy. Many customers are asking whether Hope Pharmacy will remain in the same place prior to the merger. “The answer is yes,” Brown said. “It’s about trust, and maintaining that trust with our patients and community is very important.” Brown will continue to lead the pharmacy as the primary operator, and all staff members will stay in the same place. Their main focus is ensuring a seamless transition for patients and staff, and then they will look into different systems and processes. “I’m grateful for the team at VCU Health,” Brown said. “Dr. Jenkins was committed to carrying out the operations of this task, but I also want to make sure that I specifically credit Steve [Markel] and Sheryl [Garland]. None of this would be possible without them and I am so thankful for both of them.”  For more information, visit the VCU Health website here. ...read more read less