Advocacy group sets up second contraception vending machine in Indiana

On the way to the bathroom at the Eleventh House coffee shop in Lafayette there’s a brightly painted vending machine.

Rows of free emergency contraception, condoms and period products are nestled inside metal spirals waiting for someone to push the keypad and dispense them.

“With the vending machine, I can imagine a couple of folks coming in for a cup of coffee…and then they look over on their way to the bathroom, they see this vending machine at Eleventh House,” said Melissa Gruver. Gruver is the statewide organizing director for advocacy group Indiana Task FORCE.

“And then now, as they’re walking out the door, they’re talking about something different than they were going to talk about before,” Gruver said, “and sharing that with each other.”

This is the second vending machine the group has set up — the first is located on the near east side of Indianapolis in Dear Mom. It's a part of the Indiana Task FORCE’s effort to provide Hoosiers easy access to reproductive care.

Indiana Task FORCE mobilization director Jessica Joneson said the coffee shop in downtown Lafayette made sense, logistically.

“For us, that means a place that is open outside of nine to five, for example, and allows people of all ages to come inside, right? Has a bathroom, maybe is something you might want to think about when you're picking a location for something like this,” Joneson said. “And, yeah, just being able to remove as many barriers as possible, and so a coffee shop is just a great option.”

Gianna Fristoe is the owner of the Eleventh House coffee shop. She said being the home of the newest vending machine ties to her goals to make her business inclusive.

“When we had talked about doing it and setting it up, I always thought it was cool, but there was something about once it was actually set up, and seeing the Plan B available for everybody, to just have access, to really kind of put it in perspective of how important this is,” Fristoe said.

Plan B emergency contraception can cost about $40-50 at pharmacies.

“Knowing that some people can't afford it, and some people put it off, and because of that, there are these pregnancies that happen that maybe people aren't prepared for,” Fristoe said.

At the group’s location in Indianapolis, Gruver said they’ve seen the need for access and they’ve been able to help fill the gaps.

“We've seen nearly 300 supplied, like, items vended out of the machine, with our most popular item being the emergency contraception at an average [of] about 34-35 vens per month,” Gruver said.

In addition to increased access, Gruver said she hopes the vending machine also helps start conversations.

“With this backdrop and this vending machine and its contents, then people are having conversations about their own experiences with reproductive health care,” Gruver said.

Fristoe agrees, and sees the machine as a way to help normalize conversations about sex. 

“I do think that it's something that, you know, when it comes to contraception, that people think it can be a political thing,” Fristoe said. “But I have been surprised by the diverse group of people who have been responding really well to it.”

Gruver said the group’s goal is to expand the vending machine program into more areas in the state.

Contact WFYI All Things Considered newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton at shorton@wfyi.org.