US THE NEW HEALTH TO GO VENDING MACHINE IN DOWNTOWN NEW YORK. WE DESIGNED THESE MACHINES WITH COMMUNITY IN MIND, WITH THEIR FEEDBACK. IT’S A SMART VENDING MACHINE WITH AN INTERACTIVE TOUCH SCREEN. IF STORES CLOSED, THEY CAN JUST WALK UP AND GET WHAT THEY NEED. AND THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF WHO’S WATCHING AND WHAT THEY’RE THINKING. ONE MENU SHOWS THE AVAILABLE PRODUCTS AND THE NEXT A MAP OF LOCAL EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES. ALL FREE, AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME. SO THIS ALL STARTED DURING COVID, AS EVERYONE PROBABLY REMEMBERS, WHEN THERE WERE A LOT OF SHUTDOWNS HAPPENING, SERVICES WERE CLOSED AND THE OVERDOSE DEATHS WERE SKYROCKETING. AND SO THAT’S WHERE THE IDEA CAME FOR A VENDING MACHINE THAT WOULD DISPENSE NALOXONE AND OTHER ITEMS TO THE PUBLIC WHENEVER THEY NEEDED IT. ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES. AND THEN FROM THERE, IT KIND OF EVOLVED TO A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ITEMS AS WELL. THOSE ITEMS AIMED AT REDUCING BARRIERS TO CARE LIKE COST OR TRANSPORTATION, WOUND CARE KITS, HYGIENE KITS, HIV SELF-TEST, WHATEVER. THE PUBLIC REALLY NEEDS TO STAY HEALTHY. PENN STATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE SAYS OVER 11,000 ITEMS WERE DISPENSED FROM THE MACHINES IN HARRISBURG AND READING IN THEIR FIRST YEAR. SINCE THEN, THE YORK AND MILLERSBURG MACHINES HAVE GONE LIVE WITH THE SAME GOAL IN MIND. FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS OF PENNSYLVANIA. A LOCAL NONPROFIT SPECIALIZING IN OUTREACH, SAYS THESE MACHINES COULD BE A GAME CHANGER. WITH THE COST OF EVERYTHING GOING UP THE WAY IT IS. IF A PERSON HAS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, BUYING GROCERIES AND BUYING THAT PREGNANCY TEST OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO CHOOSE FOR? MACHINES ARE UP AND RUNNING RIGHT NOW WITH THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE FOUR KEEPING US BUSY, BUT WE’RE CERTAINLY OPEN FOR. AND MY HOPE IS TO HAVE LOTS OF THESE VENDING MACHINES THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA, THROUGHOUT ALL THE COMMUNITIES TO SERVE. THOSE NEWS 8 MARCY WALSH REPORTING IN THE VENDING MACHINES ARE STOCKED AND PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH PENN STATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, WITH THE HELP OF GRANTS AND SUPPO
Free health vending machines offer wellness items in Pennsylvania
Updated: 10:10 PM EDT May 11, 2026
A new type of vending machine called “Health to Go” is providing free wellness items across Pennsylvania communities, including hygiene kits, wound care supplies, Narcan, and more. More than a vending machineOrganizers said the machines were designed with community feedback in mind. “We designed these very machines with the community in mind, with their feedback,” they said. The vending machines feature interactive touch screens that display available products and maps of local community resources and services. “If the store’s closed, they can just walk up and get what they need and they don’t have to be afraid of who’s watching and what they’re thinking,” Crystal Perry of Friends and Neighbors of PA said. An idea born during the pandemicThe idea for the machines originated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when service shutdowns and rising overdose deaths highlighted the need for accessible health resources.”So, this all started during COVID. As everyone probably remembers, when there were a lot of shutdowns happening, services were closed, and the overdose deaths were just skyrocketing. And so that’s where the idea came for a vending machine that would dispense naloxone and other items to the public whenever they needed it, accessible at all times. And then from there, it kind of evolved to a whole host of other items as well,” Penn State family medicine physician, Alice Zhang said. Reducing barriers to careThe items aim to reduce barriers to care, such as cost or transportation.”Wound care kits, hygiene kits, HIV self-tests, whatever the public really needs to stay healthy,” Zhang said. Early impact in Pennsylvania communitiesPenn State College of Medicine reported that over 11,000 items were dispensed from machines in Harrisburg and Reading during their first year of operation.Since then, additional machines have been installed in York and Millersburg, continuing the mission to serve communities. Local nonprofit highlights a needFriends and Neighbors of PA, a local nonprofit specializing in outreach, highlighted the importance of these machines.”With the cost of everything going up the way it is. If a person has to choose between you know, buying groceries and buying that pregnancy test or, you know whatever, what are you going to choose?” Perry said. Plans to expand across the stateCurrently, four machines are operational, with hopes to expand further.”Right now we have four, keeping us busy, but we’re certainly open for more, and my hope is to have lots of these vending machines throughout Pennsylvania,” Zhang said.
YORK, Pa. —
A new type of vending machine called “Health to Go” is providing free wellness items across Pennsylvania communities, including hygiene kits, wound care supplies, Narcan, and more.
More than a vending machine
Organizers said the machines were designed with community feedback in mind. “We designed these very machines with the community in mind, with their feedback,” they said.
The vending machines feature interactive touch screens that display available products and maps of local community resources and services. “If the store’s closed, they can just walk up and get what they need and they don’t have to be afraid of who’s watching and what they’re thinking,” Crystal Perry of Friends and Neighbors of PA said.
An idea born during the pandemic
The idea for the machines originated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when service shutdowns and rising overdose deaths highlighted the need for accessible health resources.
“So, this all started during COVID. As everyone probably remembers, when there were a lot of shutdowns happening, services were closed, and the overdose deaths were just skyrocketing. And so that’s where the idea came for a vending machine that would dispense naloxone and other items to the public whenever they needed it, accessible at all times. And then from there, it kind of evolved to a whole host of other items as well,” Penn State family medicine physician, Alice Zhang said.
Reducing barriers to care
The items aim to reduce barriers to care, such as cost or transportation.
“Wound care kits, hygiene kits, HIV self-tests, whatever the public really needs to stay healthy,” Zhang said.
Early impact in Pennsylvania communities
Penn State College of Medicine reported that over 11,000 items were dispensed from machines in Harrisburg and Reading during their first year of operation.
Since then, additional machines have been installed in York and Millersburg, continuing the mission to serve communities.
Local nonprofit highlights a need
Friends and Neighbors of PA, a local nonprofit specializing in outreach, highlighted the importance of these machines.
“With the cost of everything going up the way it is. If a person has to choose between you know, buying groceries and buying that pregnancy test or, you know whatever, what are you going to choose?” Perry said.
Plans to expand across the state
Currently, four machines are operational, with hopes to expand further.
“Right now we have four, keeping us busy, but we’re certainly open for more, and my hope is to have lots of these vending machines throughout Pennsylvania,” Zhang said.