In a year when rising need and system strain made food access especially challenging for many Newark families, community leaders across the city, led by Mayor Baraka, showed how coordination and collective action can make an immediate difference. 

Food Connect Newark officially launched in October 2025, stepping into this work during a moment of heightened urgency and joining long-standing local efforts to strengthen access to nutritious food with reliability, dignity and care.

As we reflect on our first months in the city, we are grateful for the organizations that welcomed us, shared their expertise, and partnered with us to begin building dependable last-mile delivery pathways. Thank you for following and supporting Food Connect Newark!

How Food Connect Newark Came to Life

Newark has a powerful network of community organizations working daily to strengthen food access, support families and address barriers rooted in inequity. When Food Connect Newark launched through a GreenLight Fund investment, partners were united around a shared challenge: families were facing growing uncertainty, food access needs were rising and many community programs had nutritious food ready to distribute, but limited transportation capacity to get food consistently into homes across the city.

In early November, SNAP benefit delays created a sudden surge in need. Community leaders quickly mobilized and delivery capacity became an immediate priority. Food Connect Newark was asked to help close this gap by offering trusted last-mile delivery so community groups could focus on supporting families.

These early partnerships demonstrate how flexible, community-centered delivery can strengthen the city’s food access system both during crises and in everyday operations. We’re grateful to have joined this community in 2025 and look forward to what’s ahead in the new year.

Delivering Food to Community Hubs Through a MEND-Led Collaboration

MEND, a hunger relief network rooted in Essex County, leads community-centered food access programs designed to advance health equity. As the SNAP delays unfolded, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka convened more than 100 community organizations to coordinate a rapid response centered on the creation of five emergency community hubs. This prompted MEND to lead immediate food sourcing and distribution support for the hubs and Food Connect Newark jumped in to provide the transportation bridge needed to move food quickly and reliably to each neighborhood, ensuring families could receive fresh, nutritious items during a time of uncertainty.

This collaboration reflects Newark’s strong community networks, deep local leadership and shared commitment to ensuring families have access to the food they need and want. We look forward to continuing to support MEND and its partners as these programs grow.

Launching Home Delivery with Tree House Cares

Tree House Cares supports households across Newark’s neighborhood wards through culturally grounded programming and holistic family services. Shortly after launching in the region, Food Connect Newark began coordinating a new home-delivery program with Tree House Cares to reach residents who face the greatest barriers to accessing food. Deliveries will begin rolling out across multiple wards this month so families can rely on consistent access to fresh groceries right at their doorstep.

This emerging partnership demonstrates Newark’s commitment to meeting families where they are and ensuring that nutritious food is accessible no matter someone’s mobility, schedule or neighborhood.

Joining Citywide Response Efforts to Rising Food Access Needs

Beyond the immediate operational response, Food Connect Newark also participated in the broader system-level coordination discussions. These conversations with local organizations and city officials helped align our work with Newark’s wider food access strategy, informed our early partnership with MEND and strengthened our collaboration with the Food and Health Equity Coalition of Essex County.

In just a few short months, we’ve met many community leaders working to increase access to reliable, nutritious food in Newark, and these relationships are shaping Food Connect Newark’s approach so we can support existing leadership and help accelerate solutions led by Newark organizations now and in the years ahead.

Looking Ahead and Staying Connected

As we move into 2026, Food Connect Newark will continue focusing on reliable home delivery, crisis-responsive support, and building partnerships grounded in community voice. Together with local organizations, we are committed to helping shape a food system in Newark that is more coordinated, equitable and accessible for every resident.

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Thank you for being part of the Food Connect Newark community. Your support will help us build a future where every meal nourishes not just a person, but a sustainable food system.