Health Update: RWJBarnabas Health, Partners Celebrate South Ward Wellness Center Groundbreaking in Newark – What Experts Say

(l-r) Atiya Jaha-Rashidi, Chief Equity Officer and VP of Community Relations, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center; Marcy Felsenfeld, Senior Program Officer, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey; Hector Varona, Senior Relationship Manager, M&T Bank; Craig Drinkard, CEO, The Victoria Foundation; Leonard Robbins, Senior Program Officer – Lending, LISC; Nicole Fields, CEO, Saint James Health; Dominique Lee, CEO, BRICK Networks; Balpreet Grewal-Virk, SVP, Community Health, RWJBarnabas Health; Michael Bright, CEO, Newark YMCA; Atiya Weiss, Executive Director, The Burke Foundation; James Burke, Chair, The Burke Foundation; Kim Cook, Director of Social Impact and Community Investment, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center; Evan Weiss, CEO, New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA); Sharnita Johnson, VP, Strategy, Impact & Communications, The Victoria Foundation. (Credit: RWJBarnabas Health)

Health System Invests Initial $3 Million With Plans to Embed CHWs and SNAP Navigators

Newark, N.J., March 18, 2026 – RWJBarnabas Health joined BRICK Networks, Saint James Health Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity to break ground on construction of the South Ward Wellness Center in Newark. This public-private partnership is supported by a $3 million investment from RWJBarnabas Health as part of the system’s Our Healthy Communities initiative to improve patient access and health outcomes, particularly in underserved communities.

“At RWJBarnabas Health, our mission is to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey – and that commitment extends far beyond the walls of our hospitals,” said Mark E. Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health. “Our investment in the South Ward Wellness Center, supported through funding from the State of New Jersey, reflects our dedication to expanding access to care, advancing prevention and addressing root causes that impact health. This powerful collaboration – shaped by trusted partners like BRICK Networks, Saint James Health and the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity – demonstrates what is possible when public investment and community partnership come together to create lasting impact.”

Beyond the initial investment, RWJBarnabas Health plans to embed Community Health Workers (CHWs) and SNAP Navigators in the South Ward Wellness Center – expanding access to quality health care in New Jersey’s largest city.

Through Our Healthy Communities, RWJBarnabas Health is partnering with local leaders, health care providers, civic organizations, clergy and community-based organizations to strengthen critical social and health care infrastructure and expand patient access to care, healthy foods, nutrition education, transportation, economic mobility, and stable housing. Supported by community health resources from the State of New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health has reinvested more than $151 million in community health initiatives beyond traditional medical care to build and sustain long-term health for the residents and communities it serves.

“At RWJBarnabas Health, wellness is what we’re all about,” said Balpreet Grewal-Virk, PhD, Senior Vice President, Community Health, RWJBarnabas Health. “And when we talk about wellness, we mean more than care within hospitals. We mean prevention. We mean access. We mean meeting people where they are. That’s why I can’t think of a better investment for us to make in one of the communities we work so closely with here in Newark.”

The groundbreaking marks a turning point for community partners and residents in the South Ward, who have long called for comprehensive care that allows the neighborhood to move beyond health into wellness. Through community meetings, surveys, and feedback compiled by BRICK Networks, residents have named the need for improved health care access, affordable healthy food, maternity care, and holistic support for children and families.

“This is more than a wellness center, it’s the physical embodiment of what our community has demanded and deserves,” said Dominique Lee, CEO of BRICK Networks. “Our children and families guide our work. By listening to their voices, we are increasing access to health care and removing the obstacles that prevent people from living their dreams and building lasting prosperity.”

The new 50,000 sq. ft. facility will house a community room for gatherings and workshops, a full-service pharmacy, a maternal health wing, primary care suites, flexible space for fellow nonprofits, and state-of-the-art classrooms for health and cooking education. The center’s design and services are rooted in ongoing community conversation, starting with a temporary wellness site opened by BRICK Networks and Saint James Health, which further informed the comprehensive offerings now under construction. The center is slated to open April 2027.

Community leaders and partners view the center as a model for breaking cycles of inequity. Nicole Fields, CEO of Saint James Health commented, “For too long, families in the South Ward have had to navigate fragmented systems to access basic care. This center will bring together maternal health, pharmacy, primary care, and health education under one roof. Our partnership is grounded in the belief that access is a right, not a privilege.”

The wellness center is already fully funded for construction at $48 million, with an additional $5 million needed to pay off the mortgage, bringing the dream of a debt-free, sustainable facility within reach. In addition to RWJBarnabas Health, funding for the project has been supported by the Victoria Foundation and through a federal appropriation by the late Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr.

“The YMCA is proud to bring an 11,000-square-foot Express YMCA to the South Ward Wellness Center, focused on fitness, prevention, and healthy living,” said Michael Bright, President and CEO, of the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity. “By combining movement, medical care, and community services under one roof, we are making health access real and practical for the families of the South Ward.”

The project responds directly to the voices of the Newark community and stands as a testament to the power of resident-led action. It will also provide swing space for nonprofits and community-based organizations, making it a hub for community collaboration.

“We are investing in the dreams and voices of Newark residents,” said Craig Drinkard, Executive Officer of Victoria Foundation, which invested $2 million to-date in the wellness center. “Our neighbors have made it clear that they envision a Newark where everyone has what they need to take care of themselves and their families. We invite foundations, policymakers, and neighbors to join us in building an even stronger support network for our city.”

Many other sponsors and supporters make the wellness center possible, including: BRICK Networks, Saint James Health, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, M&T Bank, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the late Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (U.S. House appropriation), the Victoria Foundation, Senate Majority Leader Senator Ruiz (NJ Senate appropriation), the Burke Foundation, the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, Wells Fargo, LISC, Grow America and the Reinvestment Fund.

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About RWJBarnabas Health

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.