New York City's public health vending machine program ends up with just 4 installed out of 10 announced

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Since last June, New York City’s four free public health vending machines have dispensed over 18,000 items —  everything from COVID tests and safe sex products to fentanyl test strips and 2,100 naloxone kits to reverse overdoses, according to the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

When the health department first announced the program in January 2022, it planned for 10 such machines across the boroughs, backed by nearly $750,000 in city funding.

But the four existing machines — all located east of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, including two in Queens — will be it. The program quietly halted new installations this May.

The initiative obtained funding for 10 machines, but, according to spokesperson for the department Rachel Vick, not enough eligible organizations were interested in managing the machines to launch all 10.

The vending machines are designed to provide easy access to overdose prevention and public health supplies. The program is part of a growing movement of vending machine initiatives in over 30 states, spearheaded by public health advocates looking for a low-barrier way to give out life-saving items.

The machines don’t really “vend.” Everything in them is free of charge, and users are only asked to enter a New York City zip code before they can select an item.

Each machine is managed by a different community-based organization and stocks items specific to each neighborhood’s needs, but all have harm-reduction supplies for drug users, as well as COVID tests, personal hygiene items and safe sex kits. 

The nonprofit Services for the UnderServed installed the city’s first machine in Bushwick last June, to much media attention. 

The AIDS Center of Queens County put up vending machines in Far Rockaway and Jamaica last November, while VOCAL-NY, which organizes and serves low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, set up the fourth and final vending machine in Brooklyn’s East New York in May. 

The city planned for the machines to be located in any of 12 priority neighborhoods flagged for high rates of fatal drug overdoses and a lack of harm reduction resources. But only two of the machines were installed by the city in such neighborhoods — the machines in Far Rockaway and East New York, both areas with a fatal overdose rate higher than the city’s average, according to data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. 

Bushwick resident Maritza Altruz, who uses the machine on Decatur and Broadway regularly for its free feminine sanitary products, expressed frustration that she has only ever seen a vending machine like this in her neighborhood. 

“It is supposed to be in other neighborhoods too,” she told THE CITY near the spot last week. “The machines should be everywhere, especially in neighborhoods where there are tons of people who need it.” 

When that first machine was installed, some locals called for it to be taken down, fearful that it would encourage drug use in the area. 

“In the beginning, people often are concerned because it is not conventional,” said Erica Vasquez, who manages the two Queens machines. “But they offer so much more than just supplies for people who use drugs.

Sydney Atkinson, 36, who runs a barber shop on Central Avenue in Far Rockaway, said that at first he was worried that a vending machine across the street would bring new people who use drugs into the area. 

“First couple weeks it had a bad reputation,” he said. “But people use it, and other people have kind of forgotten about it and go about their business as usual.”

Alternate Funding Sources

Although all the vending machines carry naloxone and safe sex products, each stocks different supplies selected by the organizations based on outreach in the area. The machines often stock toothbrushes, wound care kits and sometimes injection kits for safe drug use.

“It is about people not dying because of a lack of resources,” said Vasquez. 

Although the health department affirmed its commitment to expanding services to prevent overdose deaths, it has no present plans to expand the vending machine program into other neighborhoods.

"The Department of Health is proud to partner with community-based organizations hosting public health vending machines to promote access to lifesaving and dignifying supplies,” said Vick. 

Other organizations are now turning to alternative funding sources.  

Partnerships for Community Wellness in Staten Island expressed interest to the city when the process first opened in getting a vending machine for the borough, which has two high-priority neighborhoods on the North Shore, according to the organization’s director, Adrienne Abbate. 

As THE CITY reported, the organization applied for opioid settlement funding to start their own machine — outside of the health department’s project.

“The machine could be important for many people at risk,” said Abbate. “We are going to explore different funding options to get one here in Staten Island.” 

Matters Network, an organization that the state health department contacts with to improve direct services for people that struggle with addiction, has begun working on installing machines in New York City now that the city health department vending machine program has ended without plans to expand.   

Matters Network has installed 14 vending machines across the state with plans to install over 50 machines, according to Shelby Arena of Matters Network. 

The organization plans to put one machine in Crotona Park East in The Bronx, a neighborhood of high need, in partnership with the Doe Fund by the end of the year, according to Arena. 

But for other organizations, expanding outreach and in-person services are higher priorities. 

Steven Hernandez of St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction in The Bronx said vending machines shouldn’t be an excuse to underfund other social services.  

“It’s like putting a fire extinguisher in a neighborhood and then saying they don’t need a fire station,” said Hernandez. “It doesn’t match the need.”

Why Is It Just in My Community?’

Meanwhile, the Bushwick vending machine was out of service due to broken glass when THE CITY stopped by last week. It is set to be fixed by the end of this week, according to Services for the Underserved.

“I don’t know where else to get naloxone,” said Johnny Miranda, who was frustrated to see the machine down on Wednesday. “I was able to save my friends’ lives because of this machine.”

According to VOCAL-NY, distribution of naloxone at its East New York machine more than doubled from May to June, from 24 to 59 kits dispensed, according to Paula Santiago, who stocks and coordinates the machine.

“People are using it because people need it,” said Santiago. “Materials like fentanyl and Xylazine test strips go flying off the racks,” she said.” 

Victor Vasquez, 26, who works at a pharmacy right next to the machine, says he sees about a dozen people using the machine while he is at work each day.

“This is a poor area, there are a lot of people with substance use problems that might not be able to afford what is inside, so this could save lives,” said Vasquez. 

But in Far Rockaway, where the machine has been up since mid-November, the initiative has garnered more pushback. When the city designated the area as a priority neighborhood for a machine, its overdose rate was below the city average. 

“This is a quiet area, right next to a school,” said Joanna Cevillos, who works at a hair salon near the machine. “Put it in Brooklyn, don’t put it here.”

Atkinson, the barber shop owner, said that the neighborhood is still divided on the vending machines. 

“I know there is a reason why it is here, helping the people it was placed for,” said Atkinson. “But why is it just in my community and not in yours? And not in Manhattan?”