“We are excited to join NJFSI in driving transformational practices, policies, systems, and environments to boost food security, enhance nutrition and address health equity across New Jersey,” said Barbara Mintz, MS, RDN, senior vice president, social impact and community investment, RWJBarnabas Health. “This work underscores our commitment to address food insecurity as a social determinant of health and as integral to the achievement of our mission to build and sustain healthier communities in the state.”

Under the initiative, highly trained navigators in each RWJBarnabas Health hospital will work closely with individuals to enroll them in SNAP and connect them with other food access resources, including the appropriate county office in their county. SNAP Navigators will also assist with the recertification process when necessary. Studies show SNAP lifts the average income of beneficiaries by 75% to help pay for food and basic necessities.

This project is intertwined with RWJBarnabas Health’s current efforts to address food insecurity – The Beth Greenhouse and Farmers Market at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Sadie Vickers Community Garden in South Toms River, RWJBH’s Food Farmacy Program, the Common Market Farm to Pantry deliveries, Summer Feeding programs, etc. – to provide expanded engagement and SNAP connection opportunities.

RWJBarnabas Health serves the greatest proportion of Medicaid and Charity Care patients statewide with well over 25% of its total patient population qualifying for one of these programs. Through its Social Impact and Community Investment (SICI) practice, the system is working closely with the State Dept. of Human Services’ Division of Family Development the Office of the Food Security Advocate, key community partners and New Jersey farmers to break the cycle of hunger within its service areas and address other social determinants of health, including economic stability, education, affordable housing, and safe living.

Food insecurity is a well-documented, significant social determinant of health. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), one in 12 New Jersey households reported in 2022, the last year for available data, that they struggled to put food on the table. Lack of access to healthy foods can adversely impact health outcomes across the lifespan, costing New Jersey an estimated $1.3 billion each year.

NJFSI is a collaboration of community organizations and local and state agencies, led by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to address food insecurity and health inequity in New Jersey and build upon other local and program-related investments to help finance more equitable access to healthier food retail options in under-resourced areas.

RWJBarnabas Health is among five NJFSI grantees that will share a combined $1.07 million to fund collaborations to enhance cross-sector coordination, expand community outreach efforts, and prioritize client-centered communications to improve equitable access, awareness, and referrals to federal nutrition programs and other critical food security resources. The other NJFSI grantees include local and state community-based organizations, government agencies, universities and school districts.

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