Media Contacts: 
Angela Thomas,917-841-5644; athomas@njpac.org

HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL  

NJPAC’s Standing in Solidarity season closes on June 22 with a  PSEG Foundation Social Impact film screening and panel discussion on advancing food security in New Jersey  

Free event includes a non-perishable food drive to benefit Growing Healthy  Pantries and samples of farm-to-table food provided by Newark Science  and Sustainability Inc. 

Presented as part of North to Shore Festival Welcomes the World  

June 3, 2026 — Newark, NJ — The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will host  the final Standing in Solidarity event of the season on Monday, June 22, at 6PM. The program  includes a PSEG Foundation Social Impact film screening followed by a panel conversation.  

The theme of the evening, Feeding Change, Building Food Security, will address how private public partnerships are increasing access to healthy foods and leading the charge on educating  the public about affordable and beneficial food options.  

Doors will open at 5PM so attendees can browse resource tables and sample food made from  locally grown ingredients provided by Newark Science and Sustainability Inc., a nonprofit that  builds healthy food sustainability through educational programs, agricultural training and green  initiatives. Tabling organizations include Center for Food Action, Newark Water Coalition, Plant  It NJ, Tree House Cares and more. 

“At NJPAC, we believe that the arts have the power to both entertain and inspire meaningful  change,” says Dr. Sherri-Ann Butterfield, Senior Vice President of Social Impact at NJPAC.  “Through initiatives like our Standing in Solidarity series, we — and our community partners — create space for vital conversations on pressing challenges such as food insecurity. Ensuring that 

nutritious food is affordable and accessible is a community and statewide imperative that speaks  to the health and dignity of all people.” 

The PSEG Foundation Social Impact film is the award-winning documentary Just Eat It: A Food  Waste Story. Two filmmakers dive into the issue of food waste in the U.S. and uncover the  shocking reasons why more than 50% of food is thrown in the trash.  

“NJPAC is a vital partner in bringing communities together and elevating meaningful  conversations, especially during these challenging times marked by rising costs of living,” says  Maria Spina, Senior Manager PSEG Foundation and Corporate Social Responsibility.  “Addressing critical issues such as addressing food security remains essential, and the PSEG  Foundation is proud to support programs that strengthen local voices and inspire learning and  collaboration across New Jersey.” 

In partnership with Dodge Poetry, the program will open with a reading by Brittany Barker, an  award-winning poet, educator and Executive Director of Creative Soul House.  

Jasmyne Beckford, Director of Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial, will moderate the  panel. Featured panelists include Bryan Barros, Program Associate at pantry+ at Rutgers  University–Newark, Nicole Davis, Executive Director of the Center for Food Action, Tobias A.  Fox, Founder and Managing Director of Newark Science and Sustainability, Inc. and Facilitator  of the Newark Community Food System (NCFS), Dr. Nicole Harris-Hollingsworth, EdD,  MCHES, Senior Vice President, Social Determinants & Impact, Hackensack Meridian Health,  and a representative from the corporate leadership from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New  Jersey. 

Attendees are encouraged to bring a shelf-stable item for a food drive to benefit Growing  Healthy Pantries. Recommended items include canned fish, meat, vegetables and fruit; shelf  stable milk; pasta; cereal; rice and peanut butter (plastic jars only).  

This free event, sponsored in part by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and  Hackensack Meridian Health, is part of the North to Shore Festival Welcomes the World running June 13 – July 19 in Newark, Asbury Park and Atlantic City. A portion of all ticket sales  will directly benefit Growing Healthy Pantries — a statewide collaborative that addresses food  security in partnership with New Jersey’s five primary food banks, supporting more than 1,000  local pantries across all 21 counties.  

This event is also supported by Prudential Financial and United Airlines. 

Standing in Solidarity, NJPAC’s ongoing series of monthly conversations built around issues of  social impact, is supported by the PSEG Foundation. Most of these programs include a screening  of a socially-engaged documentary paired with a thought-provoking post-screening talk featuring  a panel of activists, academics, journalists and others deeply engaged with the topic.  

To RSVP for the June 22 program and for more information, visit Standing in Solidarity.

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About NJPAC 

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is the  most diverse performing arts center in the country, and the anchor cultural institution for both the  city of Newark and the state of New Jersey. It is an artistic, cultural, educational and civic center  where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings  communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best  artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its  extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts  enthusiasts. NJPAC Arts & Well-Being develops initiatives and programs that amplify the health  benefits of the arts and measure the impact of the Arts Center on community health and well being. NJPAC has attracted more than 12.7 million visitors (including more than two million  children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with  each of its constituents. Visit njpac.org for more information. 

About PSEG Foundation 

The PSEG Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3) that is supported and fully funded by Public Service  Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), prioritizes investments in promoting community well-being,  environmental sustainability and economic empowerment. 

About North to Shore Festival Welcomes the World  

North to Shore Festival Welcomes the World (June 13 – July 19) brings fans of the arts and  soccer together for events at hundreds of venues throughout the state for an over-the-top  showcase of Jersey excellence and global sports pride. North to Shore Festival Welcomes the  World is an expansion of the annual North to Shore Festival, launched in 2023 and produced by  NJPAC, that features all the talent, diversity and creativity New Jersey has to offer, packed into a  month of performances, parties and conversations. A celebration of the Garden State’s legacy of  innovation and excellence in the arts, combined with all the excitement of a global soccer  championship, North to Shore Festival Welcomes the World is the “festival only Jersey can handle.” In 2026, the festival is sponsored by Prudential Financial, NJEDA, NJM Insurance  Group, OUTFRONT Media Group, United Airlines, Mosaic – from NJ.com, Hackensack  Meridian Health, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Airbnb. Learn more at  northtoshore.com.