CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. and Just Between Friends, a group that works with community-based organizations, have launched a program that will see the drug chain donate to parent teacher groups when patients switch their prescription to a Rite Aid store.

Called Rite Aid Prescriptions for Education, the prescription transfer program will see Rite Aid donate $5 to local Parent Teacher Association (PTA) units when a customer transfers a prescription to his or her local Rite Aid pharmacy and submits a coupon from a local PTA along with the individual’s medical ­insurance card.

A separate coupon will be generated for each PTA subscribing to Just Between Friends, which provides local membership-based groups with a private online communication system for their members.

Families using the coupon also will receive a $20 Rite Aid gift card with each transfer.
Executives say that Rite Aid Prescriptions for Education is designed to extend beyond a student’s immediate household: Relatives or friends of a student can be given copies of their local PTA-generated coupon to take advantage of the plan, thus significantly increasing the potential donation to a particular PTA.

“One of Rite Aid’s core values is to make a difference in the communities we serve,” Rite Aid senior vice president of marketing John Learish says. “By teaming with Just Between Friends, we are able to directly, and positively, affect the lives of millions of school children and their families.”

“Supporting local PTA units helps to enable more vibrant communities, which has a significant positive impact on schools and the quality of education children receive,” he adds.

David Radin, president of Just Between Friends, notes that schools continue to seek resources that will enhance children’s educational environment and their relationship with their communities.

“Our alliance with Rite Aid will help them in further achieving that goal,” he adds.

Just Between Friends, which operates the Web-based social network site www.justbetweenfriends.com, helps members of community-based groups like local PTAs, churches and sports leagues communicate more effectively. Local group leaders can correspond directly with their members, either through group ­e-mails or individually.

The organization has worked with schools across the country, connecting more than 3.1 million households and helping them form communities that let them get more involved in their children’s education.