Building a sustainable, data-informed, and hyperlocal food supply chain linking farms to bodegas.
Building on Team Flow Chain's groundbreaking work, this community-driven initiative aims to create a resilient, sustainable food supply chain linking local farms and school gardens directly to Newark's bodegas. At the heart of this model is the belief that food access is a fundamental right for everyone.
Supported by Bergen Community College and Rutgers Business School-Newark, the project connects education with urban economic development. It began under Dr. Kevin Lyons, whose sustainable logistics vision sparked the partnership.
Generously funded by the USDA and NIFA, under the leadership and coordination of Dr. Edward Sanchez, this initiative emphasizes experiential learning and leadership training in key areas such as agriculture, business, food systems, and environmental science, empowering students and communities alike.
Empower Bergen students through practical training and real-world experiences, equipping them with essential skills to design, implement, and maintain sustainable urban food supply chains.
Team Flow Chain's experience highlighted the critical importance of tracking key performance metrics. The following indicators help evaluate and ensure ongoing success and sustainability:
Program Director
Leading the Rutgers Newark Bodega Project with expertise in sustainable food systems and community development.
Bodega Supply Chain Specialist
Kevin Kim is a nursing major at Bergen Community College. During his first year at Bergen, he was a HSI educator teaching high school students as well as a member of the 4-H Club. During the summer of 2025, he joined a team of Bergen scholars to examine the local supply chain of produce within Newark, with the goal of establishing a connection from local producers to bodegas. Having nearly 10 years of experience as an owner of a greengrocer in New York, he brings to the team valuable knowledge of how small businesses operate. Optimizing supply chain logistics and inventory management to connect local farms with neighborhood bodegas.
Lead Student Coordinator, Full-Stack Web Developer, Data Analyst
Jensy Jimenez is an Engineering Student at Bergen Community College and led the team in Deliverable Output, Data Collection, Dashboard Creation, Backend Website Design & Functionality. His dedication to Data Analysis for actionable steps in improving business procedure has been instrumental to the success of this Pilot Program.
Community Outreach & Business Development Coordinator
Michael La Torre is a recent Bergen Community graduate with an associates degree in Business Administration. While being a student, Michael was with the Army National Guard deployed in Syria, and he was able to complete college overseas to put him in a position to graduate the spring semester of 2025. Michael is highly motivated to contribute and build as many experiences as possible in the project. He applied leadership and attention to detail skills to ensure the project ran smoothly. He approached the Rutgers Bodega Project as a challenge and with his soft and hard skills chose to achieve the objective.
Plant Biology Expert & Data Collection Specialist
Estrella Luna is a biology major. Over the course of her time at Bergen, she was a Nextgen scholar and has participated in many clubs and activities such as 4-H Club, STEM Club, and STEM Students Scholars (3SP). With plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in Biology and a minor in nutrition, her goal is to get a doctorate degree in Pharmacy. She contributed to the project through leadership in regards to collecting data, communicating with bodega owners through scripts and simplification, and presenting the project.
Urban Data Collector and Field Researcher
Esteban Martinez is a recent graduate of Bergen Community College. Was a part of the 4-H club. Will be attending Rutgers-Newark in the Fall and plans on pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in both Economics and Political Science. His goal is to pursue a Masters degree in a field of applied Economics, but he has not decided which field. His ability to speak Spanish helped establish a way of communication between the Bodega owners and the group. His experience in managing logistics was valuable in finding bodegas and in creating a map that organized data and transportation related to the bodegas.
Marketing Specialist & Social Media Ambassador
Riley O'Sullivan is a business major at Bergen Community College, currently preparing to transfer to Rutgers University-New Brunswick in the fall to pursue his bachelor's degree. At Rutgers, he plans to deepen his knowledge of supply chain management and business. His career goal is to secure a position in New York City after graduation and, ultimately, to build his own business. Creating vibrant marketing campaigns and amplifying project successes across social media platforms.
Community Communications Lead & Translator
Shanandra Ubiera is a Business Administration major, Accounting concentration at Bergen Community College. She will be transferring to Rutgers University-Newark in the fall. Shanandra has been involved in several Rutgers and USDA-sponsored initiatives, as well as clubs that have a finance focus. She plans to have a Supply Chain Management career with a focus in the agriculture industry. Shanandra is also ready to venture into other areas of business as she continues to develop and learn more things.
Computer Science Administrator & Social Media Manager
Yulissa Aguila is a Computer Science major at Bergen Community College. She currently works with the Title V Department and is part of the USDA Summer Program, where she supports student outreach and educational initiatives. For the Rutgers Bodega Project, she collaborated on the development and maintenance of the project's website, helping to ensure accessible and organized communication of the team's work. Yulissa is especially interested in artificial intelligence and web technologies, and has experience with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Git.