At Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, food is more than nourishment. It’s a connection. And now, it’s a lifeline.
In response to the fiasco that still surrounds the SNAP benefits program, the hospital has launched ‘Our Community Table’ — a twice-weekly meal program designed to meet urgent needs with dignity, warmth, and zero barriers.
Bergen New Bridge will open the doors to its Bistro Cafe every Tuesday and Thursday from 4-6 p.m., offering complimentary meals to anyone who needs them. No registration. No paperwork. Just a place to sit, eat, and be cared for.
Bergen New Bridge CEO Deb Visconi said the program, which started Tuesday, represents the vision and the mission of the organization.
“It’s more than just a meal,” Bergen New Bridge CEO Deb Visconi told BINJE. “It’s a connection. It’s a support mechanism for our communities.”
Visconi said the initiative reflects Bergen New Bridge’s broader effort to address the social determinants of health — and to serve as a stabilizing force for Bergen County’s most vulnerable population.
“Everything that we do is about being that beacon of health and hope and healing for our communities,” she said. “Whether it’s food or health care or access or education or homelessness — making sure people have a place to go when they leave our facilities — that’s what we stand for.”
The idea for Our Community Table came together quickly. It builds on Bergen New Bridge’s tradition of service, including its annual Thanksgiving meal for first responders and residents.
“As soon as we saw the whole SNAP fiasco unfolding, I reached out to my equity team, my quality team, my food service team and said, ‘What can we do?’” Visconi said. “We started with our employees — some of whom face food insecurity themselves — and then expanded to the community.”
Unlike the Thanksgiving Meal, the program is more than a one-time moment.
“We’re going to do it as long as we can,” Visconi said. “We’re a hospital, so we always have access to food. We want to share it.”
Guests should enter through the Medical Center’s main entrance, where they’ll be directed to the Bistro Café. No forms. No questions asked.
“At Bergen New Bridge, caring for our community goes far beyond medical care,” Visconi said. “It’s about meeting people where they are and ensuring everyone has what they need to live well.”
Bergen has long been an innovative leader in health care – for its communities and its employees.
In September, it announced it was expanding access to life-saving screenings. In August, it introduced a program that would help its employees pay off part of their student debt.
Because of this and more, Visconi will be honored Thursday at the BINJE’s Best event that recognizing the top Hispanic Business Leaders in the state and was named to the BINJE’s Best Power Players list, which honors the top leaders in the state.
Click here for how you can learn more about Community Table or Bergen New Bridge’s community initiatives.
