Newark, N.J., June 12, 2025 – In a groundbreaking move to address food insecurity and promote holistic health and wellness, RWJBarnabas Health, in collaboration with Newark-based farm-to-city social enterprise Urban Agriculture Cooperative (UAC), today announced the launch of Harvest: An RWJBarnabas Health Farm to Community Center. This innovative, first-of-its-kind initiative brings together the power of healthcare, agriculture, education, and economic development under one roof to improve health outcomes across the Greater Newark area and beyond.
From left: George Helmy, Executive Vice President, Chief External Affairs and Policy Officer, RWJBarnabas Health; Balpreet Grewal-Virk, Senior Vice President, Community Health, RWJBarnabas Health; Evan Weiss, President and CEO, Newark Alliance; Mark Dinglasan, Executive Director, New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate; Mark E. Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health; Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka; Darrell K. Terry, Sr., President and Chief Executive Officer, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey; Barbara Mintz, Senior Vice President, Social Impact and Community Investment, RWJBarnabas Health; Emilio Panasci, Executive Director and Co-founder, Urban Agriculture Cooperative; Natasha Johnson, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Human Services’ Division of Family Development; and Ketlen Baptiste-Alsbrook, Director, Newark Department of Health.
Strategically located in the heart of Newark in the historic Hahne’s Building on Halsey Street, Harvest is poised to become a vital hub for community-driven programs that expand access to nutritious food, provide comprehensive nutrition and wellness education, and support local food entrepreneurs. This center will leverage the power of food to build community, create economic opportunity and ultimately, change lives.
"Food insecurity is a key social determinant of health and RWJBarnabas Health is leading the way in innovative health access by making a bold investment in preventive care and community wellbeing. Harvest is a living example of how cross-sector partnerships can generate lasting change,” said Mark E. Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health. “This center gets us one step closer to achieving our mission of building and sustaining a healthier New Jersey by strengthening local food systems to nourish our neighborhoods and economy alike.”
“Few human interactions are more basic or essential than feeding each other,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “It is the very first compassionate gift of nurturing we give our babies, and is often the last act of nourishing compassion we give our elders. Every day in between, we use food as a way to demonstrate our care for each other and strengthen our bonds. This complex, multi-level initiative in Newark goes much deeper than simply solving a set of problems. It is a comprehensive embrace of our entire community, and one we are profoundly grateful for.”
Through a comprehensive, community-centered approach, Harvest integrates food distribution, education, and economic opportunity to meet the diverse needs of Newark residents through several key features:
- Farm Fresh Produce Distribution Center
Over 2,100 square feet of cold and dry storage to store, package, and distribute local New Jersey produce, eggs, meats, and more to local schools, pantries, and meal providers. Through the “Buy Local” initiative, anchor institutions and companies can also procure fresh food for their dining services, supporting New Jersey farmers and ensuring year-round demand for their harvests. Harvest will also have composting capacity to embody sustainability and limit food waste.
- Consultation and Wellness Offices
On-site registered dietitians, SNAP Navigators, and community health workers will offer services including diabetes management, meal planning, healthcare navigation and transportation resources.
- Demonstration Kitchen
A fully equipped teaching kitchen for cooking demonstrations and nutrition education programs to demonstrate practical cooking skills for healthy eating for all ages.
- Industrial Kitchen Incubator for Food Entrepreneurs and Culinarians
State-of-the-art facilities will be available through an accessible membership model to local chefs, caterers, and food business owners, to bake fresh breads and prepare whole foods for those who do not have the space or for culinary training to cook healthier foods.
- Community Partner Meeting and Office Space
Flexible spaces will host food- and nutrition-related community events, meetings with partner organizations, wellness programming, and forums focused on fair access to nutritious food and better health for all.
“Harvest the natural home for all that UAC does. It gives us a state-of-the art space for aggregation and distribution of fresh urban and rural farm products to our business partners” said Emilio Panasci, Executive Director and Co-Founder, UAC. “The link to RDs and community health workers from RWJBarnabas Health furthers our evolution into a 'food is medicine' implementation partner. The kitchens allow our ecosystem of chefs and foodies to build their businesses all in one space with direct access to our supply chain. And the downtown location means that we are accessible to all of the biggest institutional procurement partners, available for local restaurants, and can easily deliver out to each ward, too.”
“This initiative is about more than food. It’s about dignity, advancement and sustainable change,” said Balpreet Grewal-Virk, PhD, RWJBarnabas Health Senior Vice President, Community Health. “Together, with UAC, local farmers and producers, and other community organizations in the greater Newark community, we’re showcasing a model for how we can drive transformative change in communities facing long-standing health challenges due to food insecurity.”
“At RWJBarnabas Health, we believe that no one’s health should suffer due to lack of access to nutritious food,” said Barbara Mintz, RDN, RWJBarnabas Health Senior Vice President, Social Impact and Community Investment. “Harvest represents our commitment to tackling the root causes of food and nutrition insecurity related to poor health. We’re walking hand in hand with our partners to plant the seeds for a healthier New Jersey.”
Expected to open in December 2025, Harvest is part of RWJBarnabas Health’s broader efforts to address food insecurity in the communities it serves. Other initiatives include The Beth Greenhouse and Farmers Market at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Sadie Vickers Community Garden in South Toms River, Food Farmacies, embedding SNAP Navigators to assist patients in all of its system hospitals, expanding the Share My Meals program to each hospital, Common Market Farm to Pantry deliveries, and Summer Feeding programs, among others.
RWJBarnabas Health is tackling social determinants of health by making significant investments in local programs and infrastructure that promote long-term wellness for the residents it serves. Supported by funding appropriations from the State of New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health partners with local leaders, providers, civic organizations, clergy and others to create greater access to health care, transportation, food security and housing in communities in need. The health system continues to expand these initiatives across the state.
Learn more at rwjbh.org/harvest.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its diverse communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate and equitable manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 43,000 employees, contributing more than $5.5 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit rwjbh.org
Contact:
Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org