CVS Pharmacy on Franklin Street in Waterloo, IA will be closed by CVS Corporate, on January 31, 2024. This CVS has been a crucial part of our Waterloo community for 10 years and we need it to stay open!! Many community residents don't have transportation to the next-closest CVS or other drugstore. 
The CVS Pharmacy is vital to 500 residents of its immediate Walnut neighborhood and over 3,000 residents in surrounding neighborhoods, an integral part of a community which has fought hard to undo the effects of redlining, urban renewal, “urban blight” and provide viable employment, resources, livable housing, and more. 
Much of our marginalized community relies on it heavily for many needs, including having trained pharmacy staff for guidance, helpful community-centered general staff, and access to essential products. This highly utilized store is a huge part of a community "corner of hope" just a few feet from All-In Grocery and Community Center which opened in October, and our local Salvation Army. All-In Grocery and Community Center was even featured on the NBC Evening News on September 29, 2023.
NOW CVS Corporate is ripping a hole in the tapestry of this “corner of hope”! This is a civil rights issue given CVS Pharmacy has two locations that will remain open on San Marnan that are less than one mile apart. The equitable right for health, accessibility, basic human needs is being denied this part of our community if this store is the one that closes.
This CVS Pharmacy serves several local apartment complexes within a mile radius of where many of our senior citizens still live alone. Individuals living in one complex are less than three blocks from CVS and depend heavily upon the products and pharmaceutical and health related services of this store, including vaccines. CVS also serves many other individuals across the community who are low income, suffering from a myriad of medical conditions and living with disabilities. Many of the patients of CVS on Franklin do not have transportation so living within walking distance is vital to their health and wellbeing. Besides prescription medicines, it provides many over-the-counter medical items and other basic items such as diapers, toothpaste, shampoo, and much more. It also provides vaccines for flu, RSV, Covid, and others. Many of the staff are longtime workers at this CVS, allowing for trusting advisory and community relationships.