RWJBarnabas Health marked the opening of a new Food Farmacy at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, aiming to improve access to nutritious food and support better health outcomes in Mercer County. The facility is located at the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center on Quakerbridge Road.
The Food Farmacy initiative was developed with support from community organizations such as Mercer Street Friends and Fairgrown Farm, as well as state funding that underlines New Jersey’s focus on addressing food insecurity through innovative programs. Patients managing chronic illnesses can now access fresh produce, shelf-stable foods, and nutrition counseling tailored to their needs.
“At RWJBarnabas Health, our mission is to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey, and that means addressing the factors that shape health long before a patient ever enters a hospital room,” said Mark E. Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health. “The opening of this Food Farmacy is another important step in our efforts to combat food insecurity through strategic infrastructure investments and community-based programming. With support of state appropriation funding and trusted partners, we are expanding access to nutritious food and nutrition education so individuals and families can live healthier lives.”
Registered dietitians will provide one-on-one counseling sessions for patients who are referred by healthcare providers. These sessions focus on dietary choices based on individual medical conditions and cultural preferences. The program’s goal is to help prevent or manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, or obesity among those identified as experiencing food insecurity.
“This Food Farmacy will have a meaningful impact on the health and wellbeing of our local community and the greater Trenton area,” said Lisa Breza, Chief Administrative Officer at RWJUH Hamilton. “By combining access to fresh, culturally relevant food with personalized nutrition counseling and education, we are meeting people where they are and providing practical tools that support long-term health, dignity and whole-person care.”
RWJBarnabas Health operates several other Food Farmacies across New Jersey in partnership with local farmers and organizations like the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Locations include facilities in Jersey City Medical Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Saint James Health in Newark, and another site in New Brunswick.
Bernie Flynn, CEO of Mercer Street Friends commented: “As the Food Bank of Mercer County, our commitment to healthy communities is at the heart of Mercer Street Friends’ work. We recognize access to nutritious food is critical for our neighbors experiencing food insecurity. We’re proud to partner with RWJBarnabas Health, Fairgrown Farms, and the State of New Jersey in establishing the Food Farmacy. This effort is one more example of how strong collaboration with community partners leads to thoughtful solutions for our neighbors.”
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony were representatives from hospital leadership as well as state officials—a sign of broad support for initiatives aimed at improving public health by tackling social determinants such as food security.
Plans are underway for additional projects including Harvest: an RWJBarnabas Health Farm to Community Center scheduled to open in Newark this March. Another Food Farmacy location will be launched later this year in partnership with The Salvation Army.
RWJBarnabas Health remains New Jersey’s largest academic health system with 14 hospitals serving over five million people annually across 700 care locations statewide. It works closely with Rutgers University on various initiatives including cancer care research.
