The USDA estimates that nearly one million New Jerseyans are experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity. To combat this pertinent issue across the state, Johnson & Johnson proudly supports two initiatives with Rutgers University and Share My Meals to ensure local communities have access to healthy food.
The New Brunswick Community Farmers’ Market
Launched in 2009 in partnership with J&J, Rutgers, and the City of New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Community Farmers’ Market brings healthy food from local farms to students and families across the city. At the Rutgers Feeds the Future event this fall, University leadership honored J&J for being a foundational supporter of the market, which has been offering fresh produce, baked goods, ready-to-eat meals, nutrition education, and fun, family-friendly activities throughout the last 15 years.
“Access to food and health are deeply connected,” said Tommy Lobben, manager of Community Engagement for Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey, who accepted the honor on behalf of the company. “At Johnson & Johnson, we have a steadfast commitment to supporting our neighbors and surrounding communities in working towards food security. Having greater access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food is key to improving health outcomes and living a healthy life—we will continue to do our part as a corporate citizen to make this a realization for all.”
From left, Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway; SEBS Executive Dean Laura Lawson; award recipients Harriet Druskin, Robert Druskin, and Johnson & Johnson Manager of Community Engagement Tommy Lobben; Rutgers New Brunswick–Chancellor Francine Conway; and New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn.
Source: David Michael Howarth
The Meal Recovery Coalition
Spearheaded by Princeton-based nonprofit Share My Meals, the Meal Recovery Coalition aims to promote the recovery of healthy, surplus meals from large cafeterias and deliver them to food-insecure residents across New Jersey. J&J is proud to be one of the founding members of the coalition, which was officially launched in September 2024 and brings together the private, public and nonprofit sectors to fight food insecurity and the environmental impact of food waste by recovering and delivering healthy meals to local communities.
“In New Jersey alone, we estimate that 5 million prepared meals end up in landfills annually in the food service sector”, said Helene Lanctuit, CEO of Share My Meals. “The Meal Recovery Coalition aims to break this cycle by providing a user-friendly, safe way of diverting those meals to support food security in the state and adding them to the other food sources New Jersey is bringing to bear to achieve that goal.”
To date, the MRC has recovered 100,000 meals, diverting over 295,000 pounds of CO2 equivalent from landfills. The coalition aims to recover 500,000 meals annually by 2026 — providing food to 6,400 New Jerseyans each week.
Both the New Brunswick Community Farmers’ Market and the Meal Recovery Coalition demonstrate J&J’s longstanding commitment to fighting hunger and food insecurity in New Jersey. As part of Our Credo, we are committed to helping local communities live healthier lives by supporting better access to the goods they need. From global initiatives to projects here in New Jersey, Johnson & Johnson continues to cultivate key partnerships with local organizations that have the common goal of eradicating hunger.