Hamilton, N.J. – January 29, 2026 – RWJBarnabas Health today celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting of a new Food Farmacy at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), marking another milestone in the health system’s ongoing efforts to address food insecurity and improve community health outcomes across New Jersey.
Located within the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center at 3100 Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton (Mercerville), the Food Farmacy expands access to nutritious food, personalized nutrition counseling and education designed to support long-term health and the total wellbeing of patients and families in the greater Mercer County region.
The Food Farmacy at RWJUH Hamilton was launched in partnership with Mercer Street Friends, a leading community organization addressing hunger and poverty in Mercer County, and Fairgrown Farm, a local farmer and distributer supplying fresh, locally sourced produce. The investment in the Food Farmacy is supported, in part, by state funding, reflecting New Jersey’s continued commitment to advancing food security and innovative “food as medicine” initiatives. Together, the partners aim to ensure consistent access to high-quality, culturally relevant food for patients managing chronic conditions.
The Food Farmacy offers fresh produce, refrigerated items and shelf-stable foods, along with access to registered dietitians who provide individualized nutrition counseling, culturally relevant foods and recipes, and education focused on prevention and chronic disease management, including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.
“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.”
RWJBarnabas Health’s Food Farmacy programs focus on healthy, nutritious eating using a clinically based approached. Registered dietitians meet with patients in a one-on-one counseling setting and then provide recommendations for food choices that are available based on their condition and cultural preferences. The goal is treating or preventing chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, or obesity through diet to improve health outcomes in those who screen positive for food insecurity. Access requires a referral from a health care provider or doctor.
“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, RWJUH Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health facility. “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.”
The Food Farmacy at RWJUH Hamilton is part of RWJBarnabas Health’s broader strategy to address social determinants of health, recognizing that access to nutritious food is essential to improving health outcomes. RWJBarnabas Health currently operates multiple Food Farmacies across the state, including the Green Apple Rx Food Farmacy at Jersey City Medical Center, the Women’s Wellness Food Farmacy at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, the Retail Pharmacy and Food Farmacy at Saint James Health in Newark, and at the RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center in New Brunswick. These Food Farmacies are operated in partnership with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and a network of urban and rural farmers throughout New Jersey.
“As the Food Bank of Mercer County, our commitment to healthy communities is at the heart of Mercer Street Friends’ work,” said Bernie Flynn, CEO of Mercer Street Friends. “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.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by health system and hospital leadership, community partners, and state and local stakeholders, reflecting a shared commitment to supporting healthier futures for New Jersey communities.
The health system plans to open Harvest: an RWJBarnabas Health Farm to Community Center in Newark this March and is also preparing to launch an additional Food Farmacy in partnership with The Salvation Army in Newark later this year, further strengthening its commitment to addressing food insecurity through sustainable infrastructure and community-based solutions.
For more information, visit rwjbh.org.
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 rwjbh.org.
About Mercer Street Friends
As a Quaker-affiliated, nonsectarian 501(c)(3) organization, Mercer Street Friends is dedicated to nourishing minds and bodies, empowering families, and communities by providing comprehensive programs to address poverty and the physical and emotional trauma it creates for children, families and the community. Their work is focused on three critical areas: food, families, and education. To learn more about Mercer Street Friends, visit mercerstreetfriends.org.
Contact: Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org