Champions of Humanity. For Everybody, Always.
Health goes beyond visits to the doctor and medicine—it’s shaped by where we live, the opportunities we have, and the challenges we face.
When compassion arrives, dignity can thrive
Every program we initiate, every outreach we undertake, is infused with an unwavering belief: there beats the heart of a person – vibrant and unique with stories and dreams of their own.
Become a Champion of Humanity as a partner, a donor, an advocate or a colleague as we lead initiatives that stitch the fabric of a community where every individual is empowered to thrive.
Up to 80% of a person’s health is shaped by factors like access to safe housing, nutritious food, education, and economic stability.
Source: National Academy of Medicine
People in lower-income neighborhoods have a five-year shorter life expectancy than those in wealthier areas.
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
An estimated 15% of Camden County residents and 12% of Burlington County residents do not know where their next meal will come from.
Source: Feeding America
Human Need
Good health begins with the essentials: food, safe housing, and the support to succeed.
Eat Well Food Access Program
Our Eat Well program is dedicated to solving food insecurity by bringing fresh, nutritious food directly to the communities that need it most. Through initiatives like the Mobile Farmers Market to our Food Farmacy and nutrition education, we’re ensuring greater access to better health.
Oliver Station Affordable Housing & Medical Campus
Health and home go hand in hand—it starts with stability, security, and opportunity. Oliver Station, a groundbreaking affordable housing and medical campus, is a first-in-the-region initiative designed to provide safe housing, essential health services, and community support—all in one place.
Additional programs to address Human Need:
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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. -
Meals that Heal
With this program, we provide free, weekly bags of nutritious food to patients facing food insecurity during cancer treatment. Patients also receive guidance from a registered dietitian and connections to additional support. Made possible by community generosity, this program ensures patients can focus on healing without the stress of food insecurity. -
Gun Violence Prevention for Kids
Virtua is committed to protecting the health and safety of our youngest community members through gun violence prevention efforts. By partnering with local organizations and fellow health systems, we provide education, resources, and safe firearm storage solutions to help reduce the risk of accidental injuries and violence.
Health Access
Quality care should be within reach for all, no matter where you live or what challenges you face.
Pediatric Mobile Services
Health care should always be within reach for a child in need. Our Pediatric Mobile Services provide vital medical care—including check-ups, immunizations, and screenings—to ensure South Jersey kids have everything they need to grow and thrive.
Mobile Health & Cancer Screening Unit
Cancer doesn’t wait, and neither should access to screenings. That's why our Mobile Health & Cancer Screening Unit brings life-saving screenings—including mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, prostate exams, and more—directly to communities, making early detection more accessible to everyone.
CASTLE Program
When a child struggles, the whole family feels it. Through our CASTLE Program, we offer compassionate, specialized support to help children and their families navigate emotional and behavioral health challenges, creating a path toward healing and hope.
TeamBirth NJ
Childbirth is a deeply personal journey, and every mother deserves to feel heard and supported. Through TeamBirth NJ, we're enhancing communication between patients and care teams, reducing maternal mortality rates, and empowering mothers to actively participate in their birth plans to receive the patient-centered care they deserve.
Multilingual Team of Doctors
We live in a global community, and our many multilingual clinicians reflect that. When we create a more inclusive and comfortable experience for patients of all backgrounds, we foster clear communication and cultural understanding, and help every patient feel heard, valued, and confident in their care.
Virtua Pride Primary Care
This service provides inclusive, compassionate health care designed to meet the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Our dedicated team offers traditional primary care, preventive services, and support in a safe and welcoming environment.
Health Education Classes
Better health starts with better knowledge. From pregnancy and parenting to managing chronic conditions, our Health Education Classes provide the guidance and support you need to navigate your health journey with confidence.
See all classes and support groups.
Additional programs to address Health Access:
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“We Ask Because We Care”
Virtua Health is committed to addressing health disparities by better understanding our patients' needs. By respectfully and inclusively collecting data on what makes people unique, we can identify gaps in care and create more equitable health solutions. -
Patient Care Fund
This program provides vital support to patients facing financial hardships during their medical journey. Whether it’s covering transportation to appointments, essential medical supplies, or everyday necessities, this fund helps ease burdens so patients can focus on healing. -
Transportation Assistance Program
Getting to a doctor’s appointment shouldn’t be a roadblock to better health. Virtua’s Transportation Assistance Program provides reliable rides to eligible patients who need help reaching their medical care.
Human Connection
True well-being comes from feeling seen, supported, and part of a caring community.
Training Programs
Virtua’s training programs for neighboring communities equip individuals with valuable skills and knowledge to build healthier futures. From workforce development in health care to community health education, these programs empower local residents with opportunities for growth, employment, and well-being. By investing in our neighbors, we’re strengthening the health of our entire community—one person at a time.
Nursing Scholarships
Our nursing scholarships support the next generation of compassionate caregivers by providing financial assistance to aspiring and current nurses. By investing in their education and professional growth, we not only empower individuals to achieve their dreams but also ensure our community continues to receive exceptional, dedicated care for years to come.
Nurturing our nurses
Community Connection
Through our Community Connection program, we bring vital health resources, support, and education directly to local neighborhoods. By partnering with community organizations, we help connect individuals and families to services that promote well-being, from wellness screenings to mental health support.
Discover the Good in Action
Impact isn’t just about intention—it’s about action. These numbers tell the story of lives improved, obstacles overcome, and health made more accessible for all.
Food is Medicine
Our Eat Well program is more than a food source—it’s a lifeline. Through this program, our team has supported people with the food they need 47,324 times. Plus, 2,188 neighbors received nutrition counseling at a Food Farmacy, and 1,200 preventative health screenings were provided at our market-side stops.
Food is Medicine
Our Eat Well program is more than a food source—it’s a lifeline. Through this program, our team has supported people with the food they need 47,324 times. Plus, 2,188 neighbors received nutrition counseling at a Food Farmacy, and 1,200 preventative health screenings were provided at our market-side stops.
Caring for the Mind, Body, and Spirit
True healing cares for the whole person—inside and out. Through our various programs, we performed 3,100 free cancer screenings, provided 209 bags of food to cancer patients experiencing food insecurity, and helped 164 patients experiencing cancer with free salon services, including wigs and scarves.
Caring for the Mind, Body, and Spirit
True healing cares for the whole person—inside and out. Through our various programs, we performed 3,100 free cancer screenings, provided 209 bags of food to cancer patients experiencing food insecurity, and helped 164 patients experiencing cancer with free salon services, including wigs and scarves.
Big Care for Little Lives
We've always believed that healthy kids grow healthy communities. That's why we've served 10,689 children through our Pediatric Mobile Services program. We’ve also provided behavioral health support to 1,311 children through our CASTLE program, and 72 children found comfort and joy at Camp Oasis, a special day camp for those coping with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis.
Big Care for Little Lives
We've always believed that healthy kids grow healthy communities. That's why we've served 10,689 children through our Pediatric Mobile Services program. We’ve also provided behavioral health support to 1,311 children through our CASTLE program, and 72 children found comfort and joy at Camp Oasis, a special day camp for those coping with a loved one’s cancer diagnosis.
“Health care should lift people up, not leave them behind. At Virtua, we’re committed to creating real solutions that make health and well-being accessible to everyone—not just in our hospitals, but in the communities where people live, work, and grow.”
Dennis Pullin
President and CEO, Virtua Health
A Commitment to Community Health
Although caring for the community is a responsibility – and honor – shared by every Virtua colleague, Virtua Health has a dedicated department that focuses on community need. This talented team includes public health professionals who are passionate about serving our region.
The South Jersey Health Collaborative, consisting of hospitals, health systems, and health departments within Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties, came together to undertake a comprehensive regional community health needs assessment (CHNA).
The South Jersey Health Collaborative partners have worked together since 2013 to create a collective CHNA for the region, as rigorous and inclusive process conducted every three years, in accordance with the with the Affordable Care Act. This collective action has generated robust, shared regional data and Community Health Improvement Plans for collective action to further the hospitals’ commitment to community health and population health management.
This 2022 CHNA builds upon Virtua Health’s 2013, 2016 and 2019 collaborative regional reports in accordance with the timelines and requirements set out in the Affordable Care Act. A wide variety of methods and tools were used to analyze the data collected both from community members and other sources throughout the region, leveraging socially distanced in person conversations, video conferencing, phone calls and survey tools. The findings gathered through this collaborative, inclusive process will be used to guide community benefit initiatives at Virtua Health and will engage the South Jersey Health Collaborative agencies and other community partners to address Virtua Health’s identified needs.
View the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment
Past CHNA Reports:
2019 CHNA
2016 CHNA
2013 CHNA - Virtua Marlton
2013 CHNA - Virtua Memorial
2013 CHNA - Virtua Voorhees
The 2022 South Jersey Health Collaborative (SJHC) CHNA reviewed health indicators, hosted focus groups with diverse populations, including youth, and solicited feedback through key informant survey and stakeholder interviews to interpret the quantitative and qualitative information collected through a lens of health equity – and opportunities to work toward equitable outcomes for all people. The impact of the inequities in social determinants of health are most evident among health outcomes in key areas: access to care, chronic disease, behavioral health, mental health among youth and maternal and child health.
Over the next three years, Virtua Health, in collaboration with community partners and local public health agencies will work toward implementing strategies to address the concerns identified by our community providing the resources to Be Well, Get Well and Stay Well.
Action Plan
View Virtua Health’s CHNA Action Plan 2023-2025
Virtua Health is closely aligned with a variety of community partners dedicated to advancing health equity in our region. That list includes, but is not limited to:
Virtua Health is a lead participant in the New Jersey AHEC program, operated by the Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. For more than 40 years, the New Jersey AHEC has provided education and training to medical students and other health professionals with the goal of enhancing care access, equity, and cultural competency.
The River AHEC program, established in 2022, reflects Virtua’s intention to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workforce that ensures equitable care and improved health outcomes for all communities. Student participants have supported a number of Virtua programs, including pediatric early intervention and the Eat Well food access initiative, to better understand and address common challenges to population health. The participants have also facilitated health education discussions with senior citizens in the region.
For more information, please contact the Virtua colleagues listed below.
Shakera Rainner, MA LCSW
Manager
srainner@virtua.org
Yamilex Diaz-Fraction, MHA
Program Coordinator
ydiazfra@virtua.org
Community Event Request?
If you’re seeking partnership opportunities to support your organization’s community outreach efforts, Virtua Health is here to help. Together, we can explore opportunities to engage representatives from our wide range of programs and services to maximize the impact you will have on every community member.
Give to Virtua
At Virtua, we’re transforming health care. And you can be part of that journey by partnering with us through philanthropic giving. Together, we can address the most serious needs of our community.