Red Bank Charitable Pharmacy Recipient Of Basie 'Giving Month'

RED BANK, NJ — Ritesh Shah Charitable Pharmacy has been chosen this month to benefit from every Count Basie Center ticket sold in July, along with receiving event tickets for the organization’s clientele and volunteers, the center announced.

The Count Basie Center for the Arts and Bank of America said the pharmacy is the seventh of 12 area nonprofits being recognized during the Giving Year, the yearlong initiative to reward organizations for their contributions to the regional community. The pharmacy will receive $1 of every ticket sold, up to $15,000.

Founded in Red Bank in 2022, Ritesh Shah Charitable Pharmacy’s mission is to reduce clinical and social health inequities by increasing access to medications, immunizations, health education, and pharmacy services for uninsured and underserved patients, the center notes.

The pharmacy at 224 Shrewsbury Ave. focuses on serving uninsured and/or low-income families, and offers its clients guidance regarding free clinics and their medications.

“The support and recognition from the Count Basie Center and Bank of America reaffirm the importance of our mission,” said Asha and Ritesh Shah, the married couple who are both registered pharmacists and founders/trustees of the pharmacy.

“This exposure will raise awareness about the critical role of accessible healthcare and inspire others to join us in our mission. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the well-being of our community members and empower them to lead healthier lives,” they said. “This collaboration will amplify our efforts and enable us to reach even more individuals who require vital medications and healthcare services.”

Ritesh Shah is also a partner in NJ Leaf, originally a medical and now both medical and recreational cannabis dispensary located at 546 Park Ave. in Freehold, as well as the owner of other pharmacies.

The Charitable Pharmacy is "having a tremendous impact on underserved populations in the Monmouth County community,” said Alberto Garofalo, president, Bank of America New Jersey. “By partnering with the pharmacy, we hope to ensure that they are able to continue to reduce health disparities in our community by offering no-cost, life saving medications and meaningful health education, while continuing to meet the local demand for these services for years to come.”

Jeremy Grunin, chairperson, Count Basie Center for the Arts, said barriers to access of affordable medicine and quality healthcare are two of America’s great social crises.

“The Ritesh Shah Charitable Pharmacy has provided a much-needed service in our community by not only providing free prescription and over-the-counter medicines, but guidance for its customers on finding additional resources to further their medical care,” he said.

The Count Basie center for the Arts Giving Year program focuses on organizations serving causes related to arts and culture, health/wellness, food insecurity, diversity, equity and inclusion, or financial management or other services to underrepresented populations.

Organizations interested in consideration for the program may learn more and apply for consideration at www.thebasie.org/thegivingyear. Organizations need only apply once. Qualifying applications will be considered on a rolling basis throughout 2023.

The initiative will last throughout 2023, with the Count Basie Center for the Arts donating $1 from every ticket sold to one of 12 area nonprofits, with a different organization highlighted each month.

Organizations will be eligible to receive up to $15,000 during their month, in addition to complimentary tickets for distribution to their volunteers and/ or their beneficiaries.

“The Count Basie Center is a unique nonprofit organization,” Grunin explained. “In addition to our work in arts education, from classrooms in under-resourced communities to professional development opportunities for teachers, we have world-renowned performing artists on our stages almost every evening. We recognize the platform that affords us, and we feel it’s right to use that platform to highlight other organizations attending to vital causes in our region.”