Northwell Health to Host Inaugural Food ‘Is’ Health Symposium to Address Food Insecurity and Improve Community Health
Northwell Health, the largest nonprofit healthcare system in the northeastern United States, is expanding its commitment to community health and nutrition by bringing together healthcare professionals, nonprofit organizations, policymakers, and community leaders for its inaugural Food ‘Is’ Health Symposium. Scheduled for December 1, 2026, the event will focus on the relationship between food access, nutrition, and overall health outcomes, highlighting the importance of making nutritious food more accessible to individuals and families across the country.
The symposium comes at a time when food insecurity remains a significant public health challenge in the United States. More than 47 million Americans, including approximately one in five children, live in households experiencing food insecurity. Limited access to nutritious and affordable food can have far-reaching consequences for individuals, particularly children, older adults, and people living with chronic health conditions. Food insecurity can contribute to nutritional deficiencies, increase the risk of preventable illnesses, and make it more difficult for individuals to manage existing medical conditions.
Recognizing the connection between nutrition and healthcare, Northwell Health is using the inaugural symposium as an opportunity to encourage collaboration among organizations working to address food insecurity. The event will bring together individuals and institutions that are developing innovative approaches to community nutrition, food distribution, and food-based healthcare initiatives.
The symposium is being organized by Northwell’s Institute for Community Health and Wellness and its Office of Patient and Customer Experience. Through this initiative, the health system aims to create opportunities for healthcare providers and community organizations to exchange knowledge, share successful programs, and develop partnerships that can improve access to nutritious food.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. Eastern Time on December 1 and will be available virtually for interested participants. Attendees can register through Northwell Health’s online event registration platform.
Debbie Salas-Lopez, MD, MPH, executive vice president of Northwell’s Institute for Community Health and Wellness, emphasized that food plays a fundamental role in determining health outcomes but is often addressed separately from traditional clinical care.
According to Salas-Lopez, nutrition should be recognized as an essential component of healthcare rather than treated as an issue that exists outside the medical environment. She explained that the symposium will bring together organizations and individuals conducting innovative work in food access and community nutrition. The gathering is intended to create opportunities for participants to learn from successful initiatives and establish stronger partnerships that can support communities facing food insecurity.
The event will feature several prominent leaders representing organizations that are actively working to improve food access and reduce food waste. Their participation will provide attendees with practical insights into how nonprofit organizations, community groups, and healthcare institutions can work together to address nutritional challenges.
Among the featured speakers will be Tony Hillery, founder and chief executive officer of Harlem Grown. The organization focuses on urban agriculture, environmental education, and food education, helping communities develop healthier relationships with food through hands-on learning and gardening initiatives.
Another featured speaker will be Evan Ehlers, founder and CEO of Sharing Excess, a national food rescue organization. Sharing Excess works to recover surplus food and redistribute it to communities and organizations that need it. Its approach helps address two interconnected challenges: food waste and limited access to nutritious food.
The symposium will also include Matt Jozwiak, founder and CEO of Rethink Food, an organization focused on creating more equitable food systems and addressing food insecurity through community partnerships and food distribution initiatives.
Alyson Rosenthal, chief program officer of West Side Campaign Against Hunger, will also participate. The organization works to improve food access and support individuals and families experiencing hunger through community-based programs.
Together, these speakers represent different approaches to improving food security, from urban farming and food recovery to community food distribution and nutrition-focused initiatives. Their experiences are expected to help attendees understand how different organizations can contribute to building sustainable food systems.
Sven Gierlinger, senior vice president and chief experience officer at Northwell Health, highlighted the importance of community engagement in improving health outcomes. He noted that nourishing communities is closely connected to Northwell’s mission of improving health for the populations it serves.
Gierlinger explained that learning directly from organizations that are already making a difference can help other healthcare institutions and community groups adopt successful strategies. By sharing practical experiences and best practices, participants can identify opportunities to implement similar programs and develop new partnerships that address local nutritional needs.
In addition to presentations from organizational leaders, the symposium will feature question-and-answer sessions moderated by Donald Jones, founder, chairman, and managing partner of Verite Capital Partners and a board member of Northwell’s Community Outreach and Community Health committee.
The discussions will provide opportunities for participants to explore the challenges associated with food insecurity, examine potential solutions, and understand how community-based programs can support broader healthcare objectives.
Another important element of the symposium will be the participation of patients who have directly benefited from food insecurity programs. Their experiences will provide a personal perspective on the impact of food assistance initiatives and demonstrate how improved access to nutritious food can influence individual and family well-being.
By including patient experiences alongside discussions led by healthcare and nonprofit leaders, Northwell aims to highlight the real-world importance of treating food access as a fundamental part of community health.
Northwell Health’s Long-Term Commitment to Food and Nutrition
The inaugural Food ‘Is’ Health Symposium builds on several years of work by Northwell Health to transform food services within its healthcare facilities and expand nutrition-focused initiatives across the communities it serves.
The health system began a major transformation of its hospital food services in 2016 under the leadership of Sven Gierlinger. At the time, Northwell set out to rethink how food was prepared, sourced, and served across its facilities.
The organization serves well over 10 million meals annually, making food service an important part of its overall healthcare operations. Rather than continuing with conventional institutional food service practices, Northwell wanted to introduce a more restaurant-inspired approach that prioritized freshness, quality, nutritional value, and patient satisfaction.
To support this transformation, Northwell recruited Bruno Tison, a Michelin-starred executive chef who had previously worked at New York’s Plaza Hotel and California’s Sonoma Mission Inn. Tison subsequently brought additional chefs and experienced team members from leading professional kitchens into the healthcare system.
Together, the culinary team undertook a comprehensive transformation of Northwell’s food service operations. The initiative included eliminating deep fryers, strengthening partnerships with local farms, and introducing healthier food preparation practices across the system.
The changes were designed to make hospital dining more appealing while improving the nutritional quality of meals served to patients, visitors, and healthcare employees.
Northwell has also expanded its plant-based and whole-food offerings. Every Northwell location now provides plant-based, whole-food options, while several facilities have introduced on-site gardens to support fresh food initiatives.
The health system’s approach also incorporates environmental sustainability. Northwell has committed to reducing food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. Partnerships with local farms and changes in food sourcing and preparation practices are among the measures supporting this commitment.
These initiatives demonstrate how healthcare organizations can incorporate nutrition and sustainability into everyday hospital operations while supporting better patient experiences.
Recognition for Food Service and Nutrition Initiatives
Northwell’s food transformation has received recognition from healthcare and food industry organizations. The system has achieved some of the highest patient satisfaction scores in the country, reflecting its efforts to improve the hospital dining experience.
Its work has also received recognition from the Slow Food Organization, a global nonprofit grassroots organization that promotes good, clean, and fair food for farmers, restaurateurs, and food artisans.
The organization has awarded its prestigious Snail of Approval recognition to two Northwell facilities. This distinction highlights food-related initiatives that demonstrate a commitment to responsible sourcing, food quality, and sustainable practices.
More recently, Lenox Hill Hospital became the first hospital in New York State to receive a five-year Center of Excellence in Nutrition and Dietetics designation from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
The recognition represents an important milestone for Northwell’s efforts to integrate nutrition and dietetics into healthcare delivery. It also highlights the growing importance of nutrition services in supporting patient care and improving health outcomes.
Northwell is further strengthening its commitment to nutrition education through community-based teaching kitchens. These programs provide opportunities for individuals and families to learn about healthy food choices, food preparation, and practical ways to incorporate nutritious ingredients into everyday meals.
Such educational initiatives are important because improving food access alone may not address every nutritional challenge. Communities also benefit from learning how to select, prepare, and maintain healthy meals using available resources.
Expanding Food as Health Programs Across Communities
Northwell has expanded its food-focused healthcare strategy beyond hospital dining by launching 25 food as health programs across its service areas.
These programs are designed to address the different nutritional needs of communities and provide practical solutions based on local circumstances.
One of the initiatives is Northwell’s Tower Garden program, which uses aeroponic, soil-free growing systems to help individuals learn how to grow fresh produce throughout the year.
The program includes 21 Tower Garden systems deployed in partnership with 16 schools and five senior centers and community organizations across Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties.
Since its launch in 2024, the initiative has reached more than 1,500 students and 250 seniors. Participants have learned how to grow and maintain their own food using vertical gardening technology.
Aeroponic growing systems allow plants to develop without conventional soil, using nutrient-rich water solutions to support growth. Their vertical structure also makes them suitable for locations where traditional gardening space may be limited.
Through this initiative, Northwell aims to encourage healthier eating habits while introducing participants to sustainable food production practices.
For students, the program offers practical educational opportunities that connect nutrition, agriculture, and environmental awareness. For older adults, it provides opportunities to engage in food-growing activities while learning more about fresh produce and healthy diets.
The initiative also supports Northwell’s broader objective of preventing chronic illnesses by encouraging healthier lifestyle choices and improving awareness of nutrition.
Partnership with Sharing Excess to Improve Food Access
Another important part of Northwell’s food security strategy is its collaboration with Sharing Excess, a national food rescue organization.
Sharing Excess operates across 42 states and works with more than 200 community-based organizations. Its programs focus on recovering surplus food and redirecting it to communities and individuals who need access to nutritious products.
Through its collaborative agreement with Sharing Excess, Northwell is exploring several food-related initiatives designed to improve community nutrition.
These efforts include supplying fresh produce for community events, supporting produce prescription programs, and expanding access to community food lockers.
Produce prescription programs are designed to help individuals obtain fresh fruits and vegetables as part of a broader approach to improving nutrition. These programs can be particularly valuable for people who face financial barriers to purchasing healthy food.
By connecting food assistance with healthcare services, such initiatives can help healthcare providers address nutritional challenges that may affect patients’ health and their ability to manage medical conditions.
Northwell’s partnership with Sharing Excess also provides opportunities to strengthen relationships between food recovery organizations, community groups, and healthcare providers.
Community Food Lockers Expand Access to Fresh Food
Northwell’s Social Care Network has also helped establish three community food lockers as part of its efforts to improve access to nutritious food.
These lockers are publicly accessible, free-of-charge refrigerated units that allow community members to obtain food. Their refrigerated design supports the storage of suitable perishable products and provides an additional distribution option for communities experiencing food insecurity.
The initiative is intended to make food assistance more convenient and accessible, particularly in areas where residents may face challenges accessing traditional food distribution services.
Northwell plans to expand this cost-effective model into additional high-need communities across its healthcare system.
The food lockers complement the organization’s broader strategy of connecting healthcare services with community resources. By addressing food insecurity through accessible distribution systems, Northwell aims to help reduce barriers that prevent individuals and families from obtaining nutritious food.
Connecting Nutrition, Healthcare and Community Partnerships
The inaugural Food ‘Is’ Health Symposium represents another step in Northwell Health’s efforts to position nutrition as an essential part of healthcare delivery.
Food insecurity is not simply a social or economic challenge. It can influence health outcomes, affect the management of chronic diseases, and create additional difficulties for patients who are already navigating complex medical needs.
By bringing healthcare professionals, nonprofit leaders, policymakers, and community organizations together, Northwell hopes to encourage more coordinated approaches to these challenges.
The symposium will provide a platform for sharing experiences, examining successful programs, and identifying opportunities for collaboration. It will also highlight how healthcare institutions can contribute to food security beyond traditional clinical services.
Northwell’s existing initiatives, including hospital food transformation, community gardening, nutrition education, food recovery partnerships, produce prescription programs, and refrigerated food lockers, demonstrate the range of approaches that can support healthier communities.
As the December 1 event approaches, the health system is continuing to emphasize the importance of collaboration between healthcare providers and organizations working directly with communities.
Ultimately, Northwell’s Food ‘Is’ Health initiative reflects a broader understanding that improving health requires more than medical treatment alone. Access to nutritious food, education, sustainable food systems, and community support all contribute to long-term well-being.
Through the inaugural symposium and its expanding portfolio of food as health programs, Northwell Health aims to strengthen partnerships, encourage practical solutions to food insecurity, and advance its mission of improving health for everyone it serves.
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