Public Health Vending Machines Press Release | Henderson County, NC
Hope Coalition announced the launch of two public health vending machines in Hendersonville, North Carolina, in a press release dated July 28, 2026. The machines offer free, anonymous, 24-hour access to naloxone, hygiene products, sexual health products, and other supplies selected based on community needs. One machine is at the Adult Recovery Community Center and the other is at the Youth Connection Center. Blue Cross Blue Shield and the City of Hendersonville supported the project.
Who might use it
Community coalitions, health departments, and opioid response coordinators who are planning or launching a public health vending machine program are the main audience. The release is also useful to opioid settlement fund administrators and Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) grantees who need to explain a new low-barrier distribution site to the public and to local officials. Recovery community centers and youth-serving organizations that are considering hosting a machine may also want to see where Hope Coalition placed its machines.
How to use it
Use the release as a model for announcing your own vending machine launch. It names the products offered, explains how free and anonymous access helps people get supplies, states where the machines are and when they can be used, and thanks the funders and the city by name. To adapt it, replace the organization, product list, locations, partners, and spokesperson with your own. The release does not cover machine costs, restocking, data collection, or usage numbers, so agencies that want those details should contact Hope Coalition directly.