Oneida County Health Department launches first public health vending machine

The Oneida County Health Department (OCHD) has launched its first public health vending machine. “This community partnership provides free health and safety supplies to residents and visitors in the area,” health department officials said in a press release.

The vending machine offers a variety of essential health and wellness supplies at no cost. Available items include hygiene kits, laundry kits, menstrual kits, adult and children’s dental kits, gunlocks, Deterra® drug deactivation bags, condoms, first aid kits, nail care kits, socks, and seasonal items such as summer wellness kits and tick removal kits.

The vending machine is located outside the Oneida County Health Department and Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at 100 W. Keenan St., under the rear awning. The location was chosen to make these supplies easy to access. The machine is available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Providing these supplies for free helps remove cost barriers that may prevent individuals and families from getting important health and safety resources,” the release states. “Public health vending machines are becoming more common across Wisconsin and the nation. Communities are using them as a simple way to make health resources easier to access. These machines provide essential supplies in a convenient, private, and welcoming way.”

The Oneida County Health Department would like to thank the community partners who helped make this project possible. Acacia Lane Dental generously donated children’s dental kits. The Rhinelander Police Department and the Iron Mountain VA donated gunlocks to help promote safe firearm storage in the community.

“These contributions reflect our community’s shared commitment to promoting health, safety, and access to essential resources for all,” the release states.”Ongoing community support and donations will help keep the vending machine stocked and available to those who need these supplies.”

For more information about the vending machine or how to support this effort, call the health department at 715-369-6111.