New Healthy Vending Machine Unveiled at City Hall

Mayor Walsh, The American Heart Association join with Boston Foundation to bring LeanBox vending to City Hall

BOSTON – Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and leading health advocacy organizations announced the launch of a pilot healthy vending initiative at City Hall.  As part of a campaign to increase access to healthy food and beverages, the American Heart Association is working with state and local governments to bring healthy vending machines to public properties.

Public interest in making healthy choices continues to grow, and the new LeanBox vending machine on the 2nd floor of City Hall will offer an array of nutritious snacks, drinks and meals.

“Healthy vending is a great example of how we’re bringing local innovation inside the walls of municipal government,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh after receiving a demonstration of the machine with City Council President Michelle Wu.  “I am proud to welcome this Boston-based company to City Hall, and thank the Heart Association, Boston Foundation, and LeanBox for their partnership in this effort to offer our employees and visitors healthy snacks and drinks.”

The vending machine uses state of the art technology to provide competitively priced salads, meals, drinks and snacks.  The machine is available 24 hours a day, accessed with a free downloadable app, and is part of a one year pilot program.

Allyson Perron Drag of the American Heart Association said, “When it comes to food and beverages, making the healthy choice should be easy.  By bringing a healthy vending machine to City Hall, Mayor Walsh is allowing employees and visitors access to smart choices at great prices.”

“This pilot program supports innovation, local business, and healthy eating,” said Boston Foundation President and CEO, Paul Grogan.  “The Foundation is pleased to partner with the Heart Association and LeanBox to provide a deserved benefit to hardworking city employees and residents of Boston.”

LeanBox’s President Shea Coakley said, "We are on a mission to change the way people access healthy, fresh food.  We take a lot of pride in working with Mayor Walsh to provide City of Boston employees and City Hall visitors a healthy, easy alternative to sugary soda and junk food.  I'm excited to be a part of everything this administration is doing to help foster a community of innovation and wellness."

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The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Boston Foundation, Greater Boston’s community foundation, is one of the largest community foundations in the nation, with net assets of some $1 billion. In 2016, the Foundation and its donors paid $100 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and received gifts of more than $107 million. The Foundation is proud to be a partner in philanthropy, with more than 1,000 separate charitable funds established by donors either for the general benefit of the community or for special purposes. In celebration of its Centennial in 2015, the Boston Foundation launched the ongoing Campaign for Boston to strengthen the Permanent Fund for Boston, the only endowment focused on meeting the most pressing needs of Greater Boston. The Boston Foundation also serves as a major civic leader, think tank and advocacy organization, commissioning research into the most critical issues of our time and helping to shape public policy designed to advance opportunity for everyone in Greater Boston. The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI), a distinct operating unit of the Foundation, designs and implements customized philanthropic strategies for families, foundations and corporations both here and around the globe. For more information about the Boston Foundation or TPI, visit tbf.org or call 617-338-1700.

LeanBox is a Boston based company looking to change the way people eat at work.  Their smart refrigerators allow access to healthy, fresh food where people need it, 24/7 365 days a year.  LeanBox enhances food culture at corporate offices and commercial real estate properties of all shapes and sizes.  To learn more about a custom LeanBox food or beverage program, visit www.leanbox.com or call 844-LeanBox.