Sometimes, public health wins aren’t flashy. They don’t come with ribbon cuttings or massive media coverage. Sometimes, they look like a plain vending machine quietly humming away in the corner of a community center. And sometimes, that little machine is doing something huge—like literally saving lives. That’s what Nevada County’s Health Access Vending (HAVEN) program does everyday.

Yes, vending machines. But hold the Skittles and stale chips—these are stocked with essentials most of us hope we never need but are grateful for when we do. Narcan (aka naloxone), fentanyl test strips, hygiene kits, first aid supplies, oral health kits for kids and adults, and even sharps disposal materials. All of it is free, private, and easily accessible.

Let’s be real for a second: living in a rural area has its charm (hello, peaceful mornings and no city traffic), but access to health services? Not exactly convenient. Whether it’s a long drive, lack of insurance, or plain old embarrassment, too many people fall through the cracks when it comes to health resources. The HAVEN program is trying to patch that up—with zero judgment and maximum common sense.