Eat Well

Integrating Food as Medicine to Transform Health

Support this Initiative

At Virtua, we are working hard to ensure our neighbors across South Jersey have access to affordable, nutritious food, along with the resources and nutrition education that form the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

Ensuring that no child or adult goes hungry is an ongoing struggle in communities across the United States. The city of Camden and certain areas of Burlington and Gloucester counties are categorized as “food deserts” for their low access to healthy food retail outlets. According to Feeding America, an estimated 15% of Camden County residents and 12% of Burlington County residents do not know where their next meal will come from. Moreover, studies show that eating healthy food helps prevent and reduce the severity of many chronic illnesses, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Virtua’s multifaceted Eat Well initiative, which first began in 2017, aims to address the critical food insecurity issues in our area and focus on nutrition as the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Powered by philanthropy, the Eat Well Mobile Farmers Market, Mobile Grocery Store, and Food Farmacy programs are helping to ensure that our patients and most vulnerable community members have reliable and affordable access to fresh, culturally relevant foods, along with nutrition education, social resources, health screenings, and more.

Recognized for Community Impact

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recognized Virtua Health as Healthy People 2030 Champion for its innovative mobile community health programs.

 

Our Programs

  • Annual Turkey and Produce Giveaway

    Annual Turkey and Produce Giveaway

    Annual Turkey and Produce Giveaway

    Established in 2016, Virtua’s annual Turkey and Produce Giveaway provides approximately 1,500 families in Burlington and Camden Counties with everything they need to make a hearty and nutritious Thanksgiving meal, including a turkey, fresh produce, and healthy recipes.

    Powered by philanthropy, this program is made possible thanks to the kindness and generosity of many. We are especially grateful to Dr. Eric Sztejman and the Sztejman family for their support and leadership in making this event a success.

  • Colleague Markets

    Colleague Markets

    In an effort to support and sustain our workforce, Virtua has launched a variety of colleague wellness and career development opportunities. As part of this effort, we opened Eat Well Colleague Markets in seven locations across Virtua so that any colleague with a need for support can take home nutritious food and personal care items at no cost. These markets are also a place where colleagues can seek out assistance from our social work team, access job training opportunities, and be referred to other resources to help them and their families thrive.

  • Food Farmacy

    Food Farmacy

    Food Farmacy

    The Food Farmacy locations in Camden and Mount Holly offer nutrition education, social support services, and free produce and nonperishable food to enrolled patients. Patients with a chronic disease or other health issues, who are also experiencing food insecurity, can be referred into this six-month “food as medicine” program by their physician. In 2024, 629 patients were supported at a Food Farmacy location. In mid-2025, we will launch our first Mobile Food Farmacy, making this vital program even more accessible.

    Learn More

  • Mobile Farmers Market

    Mobile Farmers Market

    Mobile Farmers Market

    Virtua’s Mobile Farmers Market was the first Eat Well program to launch, serving as a reliable community resource for fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables since 2017. In addition to offering produce at significantly reduced prices, we incorporate health education and literacy about eating well and its connection to reducing chronic disease. The Mobile Farmers Market earned Jersey Fresh certification in 2024, and more than half of its produce is sourced from local farms.

    Learn More

  • Mobile Grocery Store

    Mobile Grocery Store

    Mobile Grocery Store

    Virtua’s 40-foot Mobile Grocery Store operates year-round, making regular weekly stops to communities with limited access to a grocery store, offering reduced pricing on all items. The innovative program, which initially launched in 2021, received a significant upgrade when our brand-new unit hit the road in April 2025 thanks to funding from the State of New Jersey. Customers can browse the fully stocked shelves, coolers, and freezers to shop with dignity, just as they would at any grocery store. The new unit also contains a semi-private, slide-out space for individual health screenings and consultations.

    Founding Partners
    Bank of America
    Domenica Foundation
    Michael and Yvette Jordan
    Kelly Benefits Strategies
    Morrison Healthcare
    NFI and the Brown Family
    Parker Private Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors
    Bob & Donna Platzer and Family / Town Square Real Estate
    Marvin Samson Foundation
    The Tepper Foundation
    Turner Construction
    Virtua Health Medical Staff South
    Virtua Health West Jersey Auxiliary

     

    Learn More

Impact of Philanthropy

We are grateful to our donors whose kindness and generosity is making a lasting impact. Here are a few of the ways their support had impact in 2024:

360+

customers served per week by the Mobile Grocery Store and Mobile Farmers Market.

53%

of Mobile Farmers Market produce sourced from local farms.

629

patients received free food and nutrition counseling at a Food Farmacy.

A Good Read for a Good Cause

Virtua Health President and CEO Dennis W. Pullin has authored a new book, Suited for Leadership, with all proceeds benefiting the Eat Well food access program.

A recognized thought leader and advocate for health equity, Dennis shares in the book: “You’ll discover that being a successful leader starts with being yourself — authentic and clear about your values. You’ll find out why the best leaders surround themselves with individuals who inspire and challenge them, and why it matters to express and receive gratitude.”

With a focus on making a lasting impact, Dennis has pledged 100% of the book’s proceeds to the Virtua Health Foundation to support food insecurity initiatives and community outreach programs in South Jersey.

Learn More

In the News

Virtua Expands Eat Well Program with Two New Mobile Units

April 16, 2025 — Virtua Health has rolled out a new Mobile Grocery Store to help reduce food insecurity and improve access to fresh, healthy food. The vehicle is part of a new $1.5 million, state-funded investment in Virtua’s “Eat Well” food access programs. The initiative will also include the health system’s first Mobile “Food Farmacy,” scheduled to launch this summer. These developments represent a significant expansion of Virtua’s Eat Well programs, which also include a Mobile Farmers Market and two brick-and-mortar Food Farmacies.

“We are grateful to Senator Singleton, who’s been a steadfast advocate for local food access,” said Virtua Health President and CEO Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE. “His tireless efforts resulted in essential new funding from the State of New Jersey, which enabled this expansion of Virtua’s Eat Well programs to even more area residents.”

Read News Release

In the News

Virtua Celebrates 5 Year Anniversary of Eat Well

May 6, 2022 — Virtua Health celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Eat Well food-access program, which launched in the spring of 2017 with the introduction of the health system’s year-round Mobile Farmers Market. The program has since expanded with the addition of its Mobile Grocery Store and two Food Farmacy locations — all fueled by generous donors.

“Over the past five years, this program has become life-changing for thousands of area residents,” says Debra Moran, Virtua’s vice president of community-based services. “People are eating better and feeling better. And their children are learning healthy eating habits, which will bring life-long benefits to them and future generations.”

In the News

Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store Celebrates 1,000th Customer

June 3, 2021 — Since hitting the road in February, Virtua’s “Eat Well” Mobile Grocery Store has taken off! The store-on-wheels recently served its 1,000th customer. Shopper Malissa Plaza reacted with surprise and gratitude when she learned she was the 1,000th customer. Virtua staff members presented her with a flowering plant. Plus, she and all customers that morning received a reusable cloth shopping bag stuffed with a $10 gift voucher, can opener, vegetable peeler, and jar gripper.

“The Virtua bus has been a blessing, since it is difficult for disabled people like me to do fresh shopping,” said Plaza, who is a regular at the store. “This is a wonderful concept. The selections have been fantastic. The prices here are wonderful.”

Read News Release

In the News

Virtua Unveils New Mobile Grocery Store

October 21, 2020 — Virtua Health revealed the latest component of its food access initiatives: the Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store. Virtua introduced the colorful vehicle – created from a donated NJ Transit bus – during a socially distant, outdoor event on its Voorhees hospital campus, with N.J. First Lady Tammy Murphy among the guests.

“Virtua Health has championed food access for several years and is a national leader in reimagining how health systems can reduce food insecurity on the local level,” said Virtua Health President and CEO Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE. “The Mobile Grocery Store means that our neighbors in South Jersey, regardless of what ZIP code they call home or whether they own a car, can have access to the healthy and affordable foods they deserve.” 

Read News Release