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The basics:

• RWJBarnabas opens Harvest community center in Newark
• Facility targets food insecurity, health outcomes
• Includes kitchens, wellness offices, food distribution
• Partnership supports local businesses, education

RWJBarnabas Health is celebrating the launch of a first-of-its-kind community center in Newark. The hub brings together healthcare, agriculture, education and economic development to improve health outcomes across the Brick City and beyond.

Harvest: A Farm to Community Center aims to create a space for programs that combat food insecurity, promote nutrition education and empower local businesses, according to the health network. A May 4 ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the debut.

RWJBH developed the facility in partnership with Newark-based social enterprise Urban Agriculture Cooperative. The facility occupies space in the historic Hahne & Co. building on Halsey Street.

Key Harvest: A Farm to Community Center features include:

• Farm fresh produce distribution center – 2,100 square feet of cold and dry storage. The area will help store, package and distribute local produce, eggs, meats and more to local schools, pantries and meal providers
• Consultation and wellness offices – On-site registered dietitians, SNAP Navigators and community health workers. The group will offer services such as diabetes management, meal planning, healthcare navigation and transportation resources
• Demonstration kitchen – A fully equipped teaching kitchen for cooking demonstrations and nutrition education programs
• Industrial kitchen incubator – State-of-the-art facilities available through an accessible membership model. The incubator offers space to local chefs, caterers and food business owners who do not have the space, or for culinary training, to cook healthier foods

Harvest also has flexible spaces to 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.

Here we grow

RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Mark Manigan described the concept as “a transformational space with the ability to redefine what a health system can and should do to ensure the wellbeing of the people it serves.”

“Whether as a hub where fresh foods will get out into the broader community or where local entrepreneurs will come to build their businesses, Harvest will be at the center of a healthier Newark and, with it, a stronger New Jersey,” he said.

UAC co-founder and Executive Director Emilio Panasci added, “This state-of-the-art space is the perfect home to further our work of creating a comprehensive, sustainable food economy in Newark.”

“RWJBarnabas Health has been a great partner in our mission – connecting farmers, institutions and families in order to support underserved food growers and consumers. From the kitchens to the wellness resources to the centralized location, Harvest is going to meaningfully advance our efforts and support the overall health of the greater Newark community,” he went on.

Supporting the community

Harvest is part of RWJBarnabas Health’s broader efforts to address food in-security in the communities it serves. The system regularly partners with local leaders, providers, civic organizations, clergy and others. The collaborations aim to create greater access to healthcare, transportation, food security and housing in communities in need.

Other efforts include a greenhouse and farmers market at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. RWJBH also embeds SNAP navigators to assist patients in all of its system hospitals. And it has expanded “Share My Meals” programs.

Through the community health resources from the state of New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health has reinvested more than $151 million. The initiatives are designed to build and sustain long-term health for the residents and communities it serves, the network said.

New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Evan Weiss said the NJEDA’s Food Equity and Economic Development (FEED) grant was “a critical piece of making Harvest possible.”

“This funding is strengthening infrastructure and helping ensure more communities across New Jersey have access to fresh, nutritious food. These efforts align with Gov. [Mikie] Sherrill’s focus on expanding economic opportunity, supporting local businesses, and delivering tangible results for communities across the state,” he stated.

Benefiting from NJ’s bounty

Acting New Jersey Health Commissioner Raynard Washington praised the model as one that “does so much more than just give people food: It connects their health care to nutrition, teaches people to prepare meals that support their health goals, and offers space to build community and incubate businesses.”

“This center helps our neighbors in Newark and beyond to benefit from the Garden State’s bounty,” Washington said.

Barbara Mintz is senior vice president of social impact and community investment for RWJBarnabas Health. She said, “Harvest represents RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to addressing the social determinants of health and combatting food and nutrition insecurity. With the support of our incredible partner organizations and state and local officials, Harvest is helping plant the seeds for a healthier New Jersey.”

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka feels such a “comprehensive initiative will change lives.”

“Harvest will serve some of our city’s most vulnerable residents while driving economic development and promoting community health. There is nothing more important than ensuring the people of New Jersey’s largest city are given the proper tools and re-sources needed to thrive,” the mayor said.