Our Mission

To build, grow, and empower a broad, connected, grassroots network of food system stakeholders, to democratically transform the state’s food and agriculture system to be resilient, safe, equitable, and prosperous.

What we value.

Collaboration & Shared Leadership

Transparency & Agency

Equity & Shifting Power

    • AlMunir Farms

    • Better Food Policy Fund

    • Black and Brown, Immigrant, Indigenous Farmers United (BIFU-NJ)

    • CATA-Farmworkers

    • Center for Environmental Transformation

    • City Green, Good Food Bucks

    • Communitites Revolutionizing Open Public Spaces

    • Community Foundation of South Jersey

    • Community Food Bank of NJ

    • Duke Foundation

    • Foodshed Alliance (SAgE and LcoalShare)

    • Growing Justice Fund

    • Habitat for Humanity Passaic County

    • Ignite One

    • Interfaith Neighbors

    • League of Conservation Voters

    • Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity

    • Montclair State University

    • National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

    • Newark Science and Sustainability

    • NJ Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

    • NJ Agricultural Society

    • NJ Citizen Action

    • NJ Department of Agriculture

    • NJ Food Security Initiative

    • NJ Health Initiatives

    • NJ Highlands Coalition

    • NJ Home Bakers Association

    • NJ Home Bakers' Association 

    • North American Food Systems Network

    • North Jersey R C & D

    • Northeast Organic Farmers Associaton-NJ

    • NourishNJ

    • Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Rancocas Creek Farm

    • Rolling Harvest Food Rescue

    • Rowan University Public Health & Wellness

    • Rutgers Cooperative Extension

    • Rutgers Equity Alliance for Community Health

    • Rutgers NB Farmers Markets

    • Rutgers Against Hunger

    • Rutgers University Rutgers, Family and Community Health Sciences

    • RWJBarnabas Health

    • NJ State Agriculture Development Committee, Next Gen Farmer Program

    • South Jersey Institute for Population Health

    • The Common Market

    • The Food Trust

    • Underserved Farmers Network 

    • Urban Agriculture Cooperative 

    • And dozens of individual NJ Farm businesses

Who participates in NJFDC?

More than 300 individuals from 20 different sectors across the state are participating in NJFDC workgroups, projects, and other activities. These organizations share a common vision for an equitable and resilient food system. This includes

Farmers, community based organizations, state and county government, health care organizations, academic researchers and students, cooperative extension, emergency/charitable organizations, food justice and social justice advocacy groups, sustainability focused organizations, and more.

Structure & Approach

NJFDC’s is a food policy council, a structure and approach that centers on (1) cultivating effective and impactful cross-sector collaboration between the many organizations, businesses, and government agencies working in NJ’s food access and agriculture space; (2) taking a systems-change perspective; and (3) builds solidarity and collective agency.

Our Advisory Board provides oversight and direction for the organization and our volunteer Workgroups address specific needs and advance community goals.

Anyone who is involved with and doing the work of food system transformation is considered part of the network. There is no formal membership in the NJFDC. Volunteers connect and contribute through workgroups, volunteering to support projects, becoming a sponsor, or joining the Advisory Board.

Meet Our Founder

Jeanine Cava

Co-Founder & Executive Director, NJFDC

Jeanine Cava is a sustainability practitioner and educator with over 20 years of diverse experience, specializing in community resilience, climate adaptation and mitigation, regenerative agriculture, and food system planning for New Jersey communities.

As the co-founder and executive director of the New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative (NJFDC), the state's first and only statewide food system network inspired by the food policy council model, Jeanine has been instrumental in fostering cross-sector collaborations to address challenges in farm viability, climate resilience, and equitable food access.

Meet Our Advisory Board

  • Javonne Alonzo

    Student Impact Lead, FoodCorps Food Studies and Sustainable Food Systems Scholar Item

  • Marissa Baron

    Operations Manager, Growing Justice Fund

  • Garrett Broad

    Associate Professor of Communication Studies, Rowan University

  • Anthony Capece

    Founder & Principal Consultant

    Capece Consulting

  • Kristie Braun Cole, MBA

    Senior Regional Director, NYC & FL Mack Property Management

  • Laura Cole

    Community Organizer, Earthworker, Black Immigrant Farmers United, Urban Agriculture Cooperative

  • Cara L. Cuite, Ph.D.

    Associate Extension Specialist/Associate Professor, Department of Human Ecology, Rutgers University

  • Nyssa Entrekin, MS, RD

    Associate Director of Community Based Programming, The Food Trust

  • Doreen Garelick, JD, RDN

    New Jersey Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, State Policy Representative

  • Hiral Shukla

    Social Determinants of Health Community Strategist Aetna-CVS Health

  • Ricardo Kairios, MS

    Assistant Professor, Department of Family & Community Health Sciences, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

  • Lisette Kwong

    Corporate Communications, Kyndryl

  • Viergela Bionka Louidor

    COO ANMP Creative Studio , Founder Boukman Hospitality Group

  • Mariely Moronta-Sanchez

    Regional CRA Officer M&T Bank (NYC, Lower Hudson Valley)

  • Fatima Niangado (She/Her)

    MPH Candidate, Rutgers

  • Elaine Tanimura

    Community Leader

Meet Our Team

  • Stacey Benjamin

    Marketing & Communications Lead

  • Nikki Cocuzza

    Regional Food System Summits Notebook Lead

  • Tegan Hagy

    Public Policy Associate

  • Anna McHugh

    Urban Agriculture Policy Project Intern

  • Vishva Oralie

    Working Group Support Intern

  • Signe Owen

    NJ Food System Roadmap Update Project Lead

  • Gideon Pauls-Sacks

    Public Policy Research Fellow

  • Georgia Silver

    Working Group Support Intern

  • Anna Soloniuk

    Public Policy Research Fellow

  • Rachel Wilson

    South Jersey Farmers’ Equity and Sustainability Team Co-Lead

  • Stephanie Zhou

    Urban Agriculture Policy Project Intern