WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WSAW) – Wood County has launched its first public health vending machines to provide free, high-quality health and safety supplies to anyone in need.
To ensure that health resources are within reach for everyone, regardless of their situation, the six vending machines have been strategically placed at key locations within Wood County communities that overdoses and overdose deaths have most impacted.
Each vending machine offers important local resources and is stocked with a wide range of health-related items such as CPR kits, personal hygiene kits, Narcan, fentanyl and xylazine test kits, first aid kits, gunlocks, hand wipes, and sharps containers.
The machines are now available at the following locations throughout Wood County:
Wisconsin Rapids
Aftermath Tattoo 3620 8th Street South
Mid-State Technical College 500 32nd Street North (door E-1)
Wood County River Block 111 W Jackson Street (1st floor)
Marshfield
Mid-State Technical College 2600 West 5th Street (door J)
Family Health Center 630 S Central Ave (6th floor)
St. Vincent de Paul 169 N Central Ave (pantry entrance)
“We are excited to introduce these public health vending machines to our community. This initiative reflects our commitment to improving public health in communities most impacted by overdoses and overdose deaths,” Sue Smith, Wood County Health Department Director and Health Officer said. “Having these machines in convenient locations removes barriers to accessing lifesaving resources and information.”
Lauramae Keuffer, Assistant Outreach Director with St. Vincent de Paul, shared, “It takes aligned efforts and all of us working together. St Vincent de Paul provides resources to people in our community who need help and appreciate this opportunity to be a host of one of these machines.”
For more information about the public health vending machines or other health initiatives, visit the Wood County Health Department website or contact Sydney Resler at 715-421-8911 or via email.
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Wood County announces six public health vending machines now in use
