Serving fatty foods that are riddled with empty calories at a health and wellness center. So what’s the solution you ask? We think it has to do with a little convenience and a lot of cosmetic appeal.

The Bryant Parks & Recreation Department proudly announced its installation of a brand new health food vending machine at the Bishop Park Community Center on December 7th, 2012. Driven by requests from the community for healthier choices, the contracted machine is installed on a trial basis with H.U.M.A.N. (or Help Unite Mankind and Nutrition) Healthy Vending, LLC for a period of three (3) months. With contracts all over the United States, the City of Bryant joins the N.L.R. Air Force Base and the Little Rock School District as the first to deploy the machines in Central Arkansas.

Named by Forbes Magazine as one of “America’s Most Promising Companies”, the H.U.M.A.N. vending machine offers healthy snack food options to help fuel your body and fill your heart as 10% of proceeds going to charities fighting childhood obesity. The interactive machine can also be used for digital advertising by featuring an LCD monitor, not to mention a credit card reader for increased accessibility.

The installation of the machine requires no upfront costs to the department, but rather a tiered commission contract reliant upon the number of vends the machine dispenses per day. In addition, online tracking of the machine allows for increased sales transparency between the vendor and the facility administrator.

The Bryant Parks Department is committed to the health and well-being of the community. We think that any means to increase the accessibility and likelihood of an individual making healthy nutritional choices is incredibly valuable to our community. In addition to its continued involvement with the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention (ArCOP), Bishop Park Community Center recently received the Built Environment Award from the Governor’s Council for Physical Fitness in 2012.

This machine can be utilized at any high-traffic facility dedicated to offering healthy options in their community. By making healthy food more accessible than junk food, you can too affect positive change in your community.

Brandon Griffin is the Bryant Parks and Recreation Superintendent.