First-of-its-Kind Hub to Combat Food and Nutrition Insecurity, Promote Nutrition Education, Empower Local Businesses, and Strengthen Regional Food Economy
RWJBarnabas Health leadership, community partners, and state and local officials cut the ribbon at the grand opening of Harvest: Farm to Community Center.
Newark, N.J., May 4, 2026 – RWJBarnabas Health, community partners and public officials, today, celebrated the grand opening of Harvest: A Farm to Community Center. In collaboration with Newark-based farm-to-city social enterprise Urban Agriculture Cooperative (UAC), this innovative, first-of-its-kind initiative brings together the power of health care, agriculture, education, and economic development in one strategic centralized location. Harvest will expand access to nutrition resources, address food and nutrition insecurity, improve health outcomes, and uplift local businesses in the Greater Newark area.
“Harvest is 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,” said Mark E. Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health. “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.”
Mark E. Manigan, RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO, delivers remarks at the grand opening of Harvest: Farm to Community Center.
Centrally located in Newark’s historic Hahne and Co. Building on Halsey Street, the hub will leverage the power of food to build community and promote economic development, ultimately improving health outcomes and changing lives. Working with agriculture partners throughout New Jersey, Harvest is a distribution center where fresh produce is received, stored, packaged and delivered to local partners and institutions who could benefit from it most. Additionally, Harvest offers services and facilities ranging from comprehensive nutrition and wellness education to a state-of-the-art industrial kitchen available for use by neighboring chefs and business owners.
“This state-of-the-art space is the perfect home to further our work of creating a comprehensive, sustainable food economy in Newark,” said Emilio Panasci, Executive Director and Co-Founder, UAC. 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.”
The entryway of Harvest: Farm to Community Center.
Harvest integrates food distribution, education, and economic opportunity through a holistic, community-centered approach to meet the needs of Newark residents across 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, food pantries, medical institutions and nonprofit partners. 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.
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, use farm fresh produce to create value-added products, and prepare whole foods.
A fully equipped teaching kitchen for cooking demonstrations and nutrition education programs to model practical cooking skills for healthy eating for all ages.
Consultation and Wellness Services
On-site registered dietitians, SNAP Navigators, and Community Health Workers will offer services including diabetes management, meal planning, health care navigation and transportation resources.
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.
RWJBarnabas Health leadership joins community partners and state and local officials for the grand opening of Harvest: Farm to Community Center. (From left to right: President & CEO of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBI) Darrell K. Terry Sr., RWJBarnabas Health Senior Vice President for Community Health Balpreet Grewal-Virk, RWJBarnabas Health President & CEO Mark Manigan, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard Washington, RWJBarnabas Health Senior Vice President for Social Impact and Community Investment Barbara Mintz, Founder and Executive Director of Urban Agriculture Cooperative Emilio Panasci, Director of HARVEST Food Hub Anthony Capece, Essex County Chief of Staff Phil Alagia)
Supported through an appropriation by the State of New Jersey, Harvest is a cornerstone of RWJBarnabas Health’s Our Healthy Communities initiative aimed at improving health access and outcomes by addressing disparities and barriers to care.
“You can’t have good health without reliable access to nutritious foods. This center helps our neighbors in Newark and beyond to benefit from the Garden State’s bounty,” said Dr. Raynard E. Washington, Acting New Jersey Health Commissioner. “What’s great is that this model 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 comprehensive initiative will change lives,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “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 resources needed to thrive. Thank you to RWJBarnabas Health for bringing this innovative solution right to the heart of Newark.”
“I congratulate the teams at RWJBarnabas Health and its local partners on this momentous day when Harvest opens its doors. Food insecurity is a highly complex, socioeconomic issue with many interconnected challenges. Accordingly, our programs, interventions, and aspirations for community well-being must be just as highly interconnected. Harvest is a testament to what we can achieve and launch when we merge big thinking with bold and purposeful programming. Combining the agricultural aggregation of fresh, local produce with kitchen and programming space to create markets for farmers and neighbors to connect is a powerful vision that is now realized at Harvest,” said Mark Dinglasan, Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate. “I know that Harvest is the first of many efforts that New Jersey will continue to take on in building food security for current and future generations, and my team and I look forward to continued partnership and collaboration with the Newark community, including the Harvest team, RWJBarnabas Health, and Urban Agriculture Cooperative.”
“The NJEDA’s FEED NJ grant is a critical piece of making Harvest possible,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Evan Weiss. “By providing critical support to the Farm to Community Center, this funding is strengthening infrastructure and helping ensure more communities across New Jersey have access to fresh, nutritious food. These efforts align with Governor Sherrill’s focus on expanding economic opportunity, supporting local businesses, and delivering tangible results for communities across the state.”
Through Our Healthy Communities, RWJBarnabas Health is partnering with local leaders, health care providers, clergy, civic and community-based organizations to strengthen critical social and health care infrastructure and expand patient access to care, healthy foods, nutrition education, transportation, economic mobility, and stable housing. Through the community health resources from the State of New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health has reinvested more than $151 million in community health initiatives beyond traditional medical care to build and sustain long-term health for the residents and communities it serves.
“This initiative is about dignity, advancement and sustainable change,” said Balpreet Grewal-Virk, PhD, RWJBarnabas Health Senior Vice President, Community Health. “We are deeply grateful to the State of New Jersey for helping make this innovative, multifaceted investment in our communities possible. With the help of our partners, we are showcasing a model for how to drive transformative change in communities with disproportionate food and nutrition insecurity. Expanding access to nutritious foods and resources through this community-driven approach will drive improved health outcomes across Newark and into other areas of the state.”
“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 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.”
Harvest builds upon RWJBarnabas Health’s broader efforts to address food and nutrition insecurity and improve health outcomes 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, SNAP Navigators embedded in every system hospital, expanding the Share My Meals program, Common Market Farm to Pantry deliveries, and Summer Feeding programs, among others.
For more information, visit 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 communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate 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 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org
Contact: Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org