Change is not easy and it takes time. It can be especially challenging when we’re working to change policies and systems that have been in place for decades. But we know change is necessary because many people in America still face discrimination, live in poverty, and do not have the basics they need to be healthy.
We also know that some places are making progress to replace policies that are driving inequities with new policies that can help close health gaps. Places like Newark, N.J., where a unique collaboration led by the state’s largest health care system is accelerating a movement to transform the community’s food system.
RWJBarnabas Health (no affiliation with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) is New Jersey’s largest health care system, providing treatment and services to more than 5 million residents each year. In 2017, RWJBarnabas launched a new effort to tackle underlying factors that can make it more difficult for some to be healthy. These include poor housing, unsafe streets and lack of affordable, nutritious foods.
The Social Impact and Community Investment (SICI) practice works closely with local organizations and residents to understand their needs and vision for a healthier future. Led by Michellene Davis, executive vice president and chief corporate affairs officer at RWJBarnabas, the SICI practice truly puts health equity at the forefront.
“Health equity ensures that everyone, no matter who they are, receives access to the services and supports they need,” says Davis. “It takes all of us to provide the services and sustainable system changes we need to move the needle and ensure improved outcomes.”
The SICI practice conducted a community needs assessment that identified food insecurity as a driver of health inequities in Newark. In the city’s South Ward alone, more than 5,000 residents receive benefits from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
Working with local partners, the SICI practice held convenings throughout the city’s five wards. Those events sparked discussions that informed strategies for changing the city’s policies and systems to help more low-income residents access affordable, healthy food.
Together with the Greater Newark Community Advisory Board, area nonprofits, hospitals and other local organizations, the SICI practice has helped to accelerate changes that are creating a thriving food system in Newark—including urban agriculture plots, farmers’ markets, and community gardens. The practice is also working to streamline access to SNAP, WIC and other important programs that support low-income residents.
Davis believes these accomplishments are just the beginning of their work to proactively make their community healthier. She adds, “We’re looking to serve as a model for other communities with similar issues.
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