By April Schetler, MS, RD, FAND, Assistant Vice President, Community Health Engagement

Early in the morning at Camden’s Baldwin’s Run Senior Residence campus, the Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store pulls into its usual spot. The quiet parking lot starts to come alive as the doors open and the shelves inside fill with color — fresh greens, apples and oranges, whole grains, and pantry staples carefully stocked by our team.

Before long, neighbors begin arriving with reusable bags in hand. Conversations start. Familiar faces greet one another. What begins as a grocery stop often becomes something more: a small gathering that brings people together.

Moments like these remind me why the Eat Well program exists.

The inspiration behind our Eat Well program

Eat Well began with a simple but urgent realization: too many people in South Jersey struggle to access healthy, affordable food in their own communities.

In some neighborhoods, grocery stores have closed. Transportation can be limited. For many families, convenience stores may be the only nearby option. When that happens, people are often forced to choose what’s available rather than what’s healthiest.

As a dietitian, I’ve always understood how deeply nutrition impacts health. But as a member of this community, I also saw the human side of the issue. Families want to feed their loved ones well. They just need access to the right resources.

Eat Well was created to help close that gap by bringing nutritious, affordable food directly into the communities we serve.

Why Eat Well is about so much more than food

While access to healthy food is the foundation of Eat Well, the program has become something much deeper than a grocery service. For many of our customers, visiting the mobile market is also about connection.

Our team members greet people by name. They ask about families, share recipes, and help customers choose foods they’ll enjoy cooking at home. Those conversations may seem small, but they matter.

A smile, a warm greeting, or a quick conversation can mean a lot — especially for someone who may be feeling isolated or facing challenges in their daily life.

We’ve worked intentionally to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and valued.

Why food insecurity needs to be addressed

Food is one of the most important foundations of good health.

When individuals and families don’t have reliable access to nutritious food, their risk of chronic conditions increases. We often see stronger links to diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and obesity when healthy food options are limited.

Health systems alone cannot solve food insecurity, but we have an important role to play. Because we are deeply connected to our communities, we have the opportunity to partner with local organizations, leaders, and residents to support solutions that make a difference.

Programs like Eat Well allow us to meet people where they are and support their health in a meaningful way.

How we’re leading with dignity, always

One of the most important principles behind Eat Well is dignity.

No matter why someone visits one of our mobile markets or food farmacies, they deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. Too often, people experiencing hardship are made to feel stigmatized or judged. We work very intentionally to create the opposite experience.

Every customer who visits us is welcomed with warmth and understanding. We honor their traditions, their preferences, and the foods that matter most to them and their families.

That sense of dignity is central to everything we do.

Why the work we’re doing matters

This work is deeply personal for me.

Earlier in my career as a dietitian, I helped patients one at a time at the bedside or in outpatient settings. Today, I have the opportunity to support a team that reaches thousands of individuals and families throughout our region.

My role now is to empower the people who interact with our customers and patients every day — ensuring they have the support and resources they need to make a positive impact.

I’m also a mom, and that perspective shapes how I see this work.

When I sit down for dinner with my own family, I often think about the families across South Jersey who are sharing a healthy meal because of Eat Well. Knowing that our work helps make those moments possible is incredibly meaningful.

Helping ensure that people have access to the most basic human need — nourishment — is both humbling and inspiring. And it’s what motivates me to keep going every day.

Find Eat Well in a neighborhood near you

Our Eat Well program is dedicated to solving food insecurity by bringing fresh, nutritious food directly to the communities that need it most.

Learn more about our Eat Well program.