GOOD FOOD NOW!
SJC's Good Food Now! initiative began as a Jersey City food systems networking and education project to help improve access to healthy, local foods across ALL Wards of Jersey City through community gardening projects, farmers markets, CSAs, and healthy retail establishments.
Our focus includes education initiatives and community projects that inspire local economic development opportunities associated with OUR FOOD and creating new models for collaboration that further our values. One deliverable of this project is SJC’s Food Systems Story Map, which reflects a citywide assessment of health food options and access points for healthy affordable food, and highlights food insecurity in Jersey City.
SJC supports the SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT and emerging opportunities for landing Community and Incubator Kitchens here in Jersey City. We also have a regional Food Hub focus in bringing best practices to our food planning, producing, distribution and healthy eating network through regional partners that many of us are already working with, e.g., the Grace Communications Foundation's Sustainable Table program and regional NGO Red Tomato.
Jersey City Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets offer one of the best sources of fresh, healthy food grown locally. They are also places to socialize and learn about healthy eating options, AND a way to get to know OUR FARMERS. Here's the List in Jersey City - See the Page for Farmers Markets!
Food Rescue
In 2020, SJC relaunched this project with a focus on food rescue and the goal of identifying ways to feed Jersey City’s food insecure population with food recovered from restaurants, corporate cafeterias, and catering companies that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
As of November 2025, the two (2) Food Rescue Operations the City of Jersey City and Hudson County are working with are -
Taking a holistic view of Jersey City’s food system, this project is closely aligned with SJC’s Community Composting Initiative, which is committed to closing the loop on food waste by growing the number of food scrappers in Jersey City! LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT PROJECT HERE.
Partnerships
We've been bringing school district champions and food activities together in Jersey City for the last few years. October is National Farm to School Month and this was one of our favorite events - we need to do it again! Lunch Lady Boot Camp Event With NJ Farm To School
Since 2015 SJC has partnered with the Jersey City Gardening Coalition to help bring Permaculture Principles to garden sites across Jersey City.
Eat Well
Here Are 2 Sustainable Table Restaurants We Want You To Know About - More Fun Videos To Come !
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Food Systems & Food Deserts in Jersey City
Did you know that many residents in Jersey City, particularly those in Public Housing areas like Berry Gardens (Greenville) and Marion Gardens, live in food deserts? This means they are over 1 mile from a supermarket or large grocery store, making healthy, affordable food hard to access. The impact is huge: families are at the highest risk for reduced food security when they rely solely on pantries and community gardens.
🌱 But there's hope! Organizations like the Rose Avenue Urban Farm (RAUF) in Greenville are stepping up, growing food seasonally and providing a vital alternative for healthy produce. Other key resources include St. Paul, The Apostolic Catholic Church, Triangle Park Community Center Food Pantry, and Damascus Christian Church.
💡 Learn More & Help: Check out the infographic and Food Systems Map! We all need to work together to ensure food security for every resident in Jersey City.
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See SJC RESOURCES page for more Food Systems info.
