For as long as many of us have encountered vending machines on college campuses, waiting rooms, and workplace lounges, they have been a reliable place to get a chocolate bar and a bottle of soda.
But between hygiene items, pregnancy tests, and even Narcan, vending machines have quickly become a tool to get essentials in the hands of people who otherwise would not have access to them.
In the Bronx, New York, nonprofit Change Food For Good, is getting even more creative with these vending machines. The group just installed its first free food vending machine at Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club.
According to a social media post, the machine will be stocked once to twice monthly with free, quality grocery items, including eggs, fruit, vegetables, and more. Many of the items are sourced from local vendors or cooperatives, as well.
“All you need to do is walk up to the machine, select your item, let it vend, and remove it from the chute,” the organization shared in a caption.
“After over 15,500 lbs of free food distributed to more than 1,100 families in NYC, we’re hoping this new model for distribution can provide folks with good food easily and when they need or want it.”
There is also a QR code available for people to leave requests for food they might want to see in the machine, but the organization also noted that some items — like milk, plantains, or juices — were difficult to accommodate and actually fit in the machine.
Still, plenty of delicious selections were added to the machine, and organizers said they will “do their best” to “accommodate any orders.”
Items will also be labeled with dates, so people can keep food safety in mind. Some items are also taped manually to keep them from opening during the vending process. Even items like garlic are included, but vacuum-sealed, to keep the other neighboring goods from taking on a garlicky odor.
“A lot of thought and research went into this process to make sure we can do this right,” the organization's founder, Samia Lemfadli, said in the social media video.
The items also vend slowly, taking about 15 seconds to fully reach the user, so that eggs can land gently in a carrier, and, as Lemfadli shared, to hopefully deter people from taking more than they need.
But outside of the mechanics of the machine, there are no limitations to anyone wanting to access what’s inside. In fact, organizers are encouraging other people in the community to take their idea for themselves.
“With rising grocery prices affecting everyone, we truly hope that this machine can help families that need it, but also,” the group shared, “that changemakers, community organizations, and activists can take this model for free food distribution and run with it — to place free food vending machines in schools, hospitals, anywhere that they think it will be best served.”
Organizers acknowledged that no solution to an unjust food system is perfect, and that they’re still trying to figure out the kinks to ensure there is always enough available to vending machine visitors. Regardless, they hope this will alleviate some challenges for people most in need.
“One of the main goals of the Good Food For All program is to ensure that individuals, even if they’re struggling, still have their dignity and agency preserved through food choices,” Lemfadli said in a follow-up video.
“Say, a single parent [is] able to walk up, get what they need — no muss, no fuss, no stigma, no means-testing.”
Those interested in visiting the vending machine can find it at Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club at 625 Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
Anyone interested in donating to the effort can do so online.
You may also like: San Diego vending machines aim to curb 'tranq' overdoses in homeless shelters
Header image by Kenny Eliason/Unsplash
