BRICK Networks, in partnership with Saint James Health, the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity, will break ground on the $50 million South Ward Wellness Center in direct response to the voices and visions of the Newark community. The 50,000-square-foot facility will provide health care, maternal services, food access, and youth programming in one neighborhood hub.
The public-private partnership is supported by funders including the Victoria Foundation, RWJ Barnabas Health, and supported through federal appropriations by the late Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. The center is slated to open April 2027.
The groundbreaking marks a turning point for community partners and residents in the South Ward, who have long called for comprehensive care that allows the neighborhood to move beyond health into wellness. Through community meetings, surveys, and feedback across BRICK Network gatherings, residents have named the need for improved health care access, affordable healthy food, maternity care and holistic support for children and families.
“This is the physical embodiment of what our community has demanded and deserves,” said Dominique Lee, CEO of BRICK Networks. “Our children and families guide our work. By listening to their voices, we are increasing access to health care and removing the obstacles that prevent people from living their dreams and building lasting prosperity.”
The facility will house a community room for gatherings and workshops, a pharmacy, a maternal health wing, primary care suites, flexible space for fellow nonprofits, and state-of-the-art classrooms for health and cooking education. The center’s design and services are rooted in ongoing community conversation, starting with a temporary wellness site opened in partnership with Saint James Health, which further informed the comprehensive offerings now under construction.
Community leaders and partners view the center as a model for breaking cycles of inequity. Nicole Fields, CEO of Saint James Health commented, “For too long, families in the South Ward have had to navigate fragmented systems to access basic care. This center will bring together maternal health, pharmacy, primary care, and health education under one roof. Our partnership is grounded in the belief that access is a right, not a privilege.”
The wellness center is already fully funded for construction at $48 million, with an additional $5 million needed to pay off the mortgage, bringing the dream of a debt-free, sustainable facility within reach. The wellness center will provide swing space for nonprofits and community-based organizations, making it a hub for community collaboration.
The YMCA is bringing an 11,000-square-foot Express YMCA to the South Ward Wellness Center, focused on fitness, prevention, and healthy living. “By combining movement, medical care, and community services under one roof, we are making health access real and practical for the families of the South Ward,” said Michael Bright, president and CEO, of the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity
“We are investing in the dreams and voices of Newark residents,” said Craig Drinkard, executive officer of Victoria Foundation, which invested $2 million to-date in the wellness center. “Our neighbors have made it clear that they envision a Newark where everyone has what they need to take care of themselves and their families. We invite foundations, policymakers, and neighbors to join us in building an even stronger support network for our city.”
Many sponsors and supporters make the wellness center possible, including: the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, M&T Bank, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the late Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (U.S. House appropriation), RWJ Barnabas Health, the Victoria Foundation, Senate Majority Leader Senator Ruiz (NJ Senate appropriation), the Burke Foundation, the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, Wells Fargo, LISC, Grow America and the Reinvestment Fund.
