Vending

Pennsylvania's free "Health To Go" vending machine dispenses resources 24/7

Photo: Adobe Stock

July 2, 2024

Penn State College of Medicine has partnered with the SOS Berks Opioid Coalition in Berks County, Pennsylvania to launch a smart 'Health To Go' vending machine, according to a Penn State Health News report.

Located in the lobby of the YMCA of Reading and Berks County, the vending machine is accessible to the public 24/7. The vending machine has a large interactive interface and offers free health, wellness and personal care items. It also connects users to community services.

"These vending machines will be able to provide free wellness and personal care items, and connect them to local services and resources they need. The information gained through this project will also allow us to make sure the supports people need in the community are readily available to them," Dr. Alice Zhang, assistant professor at Penn State College of Medicine, told the news outlet.

"A key part of this project was making sure we worked with the community so that the vending machine could truly serve its needs, and so we would like to thank our community partners for their partnership and efforts in making this project possible."

Items available in the vending machine include opioid overdose reversal kits, medication disposable bags, personal care items, condoms, pregnancy tests and more. Users can also connect to community services and resources like food, shelter, healthcare or social services.