A vending machine offering free reproductive health and other over-the-counter supplies to students is on its way to the Kuch Center. On Nov. 13, Arcadia University’s Student Health Services (SHS) will unveil the Knight Necessities Health Vending Machine near the Hall of Fame room, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The machine will be stocked with items ranging from pregnancy tests, menstrual products, and condoms to things you might find in any medicine cabinet like thermometers and first-aid kits. Thanks to a one-year grant of up to $9,694 from the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF), which serves as the pass-through entity for these funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, all pregnancy tests from Knight Necessities will be free. Other grant funding will allow SHS to offer low or no-cost items like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, cough drops and Tums, and many other over-the-counter items. 

“Having on-campus resources like the Knight Necessities Health Vending Machine is crucial,” said Dr. Mary Alice DiFilippo, manager of Wellness, Health Promotion, and the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) program and adjunct professor of Public Health. “Surveys conducted at Arcadia and nationwide reveal that many students face significant financial challenges during their college years. These struggles not only impact their academic performance but also their overall well-being.” 

SHS surveyed students to assess their need for sexual health products on campus. Respondents said some of the key barriers they faced to obtaining these products included:  they don’t know where to obtain them on campus (24.3%); the SHS hours are limited (22.6%); and they are embarrassed to grab products from the SHS waiting room (14.4%).

“This initiative helps address health inequities by improving access to health resources across different population groups,” added SHS Director Theresa Smith. “By creating an additional, discreet location for students to access these products outside of Student Health Services, we’re ensuring that more students can obtain necessary resources without concerns about privacy, stigma, or financial barriers. This initiative not only broadens access but also supports students’ well-being in a way that respects their autonomy and comfort, creating a more inclusive and supportive campus environment.”

The impact of the Knight Necessities Health Vending Machine and the demand for each product in the vending machine will be assessed in an end-of-semester survey from SHS.