An eastside store unveils a harm-reduction vending machine dispensing items for free
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — At Dear Mom, a unique eastside Indianapolis shop founded by Liz Foster, a significant event is on the horizon and it’s not about the total solar eclipse happening Monday.
On Friday, the shop known for offering an array of niche magazines, local and small-press publications, alongside a thoughtful selection of snacks and LPs, will host the launch party for Indiana’s first community-based vending machine.
Available for free, the harm-reduction machine includes emergency contraception, pregnancy tests, condoms, political education, and fentanyl testing strips. This initiative, a collaboration between the Indiana Task Force, All-Options, and the Midwest Access Coalition, underscores a crucial step toward accessible sexual health supplies in the state.
This launch is not just an event but a testament to the importance of ensuring free access to sexual health resources. The vending machine, hand painted by local artist Juicy Signs, symbolizes a commitment to reproductive health and freedom. Positioned within Dear Mom, it highlights the shop’s role as a hub for both community gathering and activism.
The weeklong Action 4 Access series of events leading to the unveiling underscores a collective effort to address a gap in sexual health resources. This is Foster’s stance on the necessity of open and unimpeded access to sexual health resources, affirming the belief in action for access within a supportive and empowered community framework.
The machine launch party will run from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Dear Mom, 2121 E. 10th St.
Join Indiana Task Force and All-Options for a Reproductive Justice to wrap up Action 4 Access with its print-making workshop from 1-4 p.m. Saturday at the East Washington Library, 2822 E. Washington St.
For more information and to RSVP for both events, click here.