Yes, we did it. Although during Table to Table’s 17 year history it has become somewhat expected that each year we will reach or exceed our goals, 2015 was a year that presented some unusual challenges.
Practically since our inception, A&P Supermarkets have been an exceptional partner, responsible for hundreds and thousands of pounds of the fresh food we rescue. And when they expanded their footprint and assumed ownership of Pathmark and Food Basic Supermarkets, additional sources of food were made generously available to people in our community who were struggling.
However, as many are aware, this Fall saw the dissolution of the A&P/Pathmark and Food Basics brands. And with it the loss of 43 supermarkets from our delivery routes. But because Table to Table has made a commitment to this community to be a reliable source of fresh food for our hungry neighbors, simply delivering less food was never considered an option. Instead, our drivers and sourcing staff approached this situation as an opportunity to become creative. And they were! And with two days left to spare at the end of December, our 15 million meal goal was achieved!
We are particularly grateful to Inserra ShopRite Supermarkets for their continued steadfast support. We could never reach our annual goals without them. Additionally, we are extremely pleased to have forged a relationship with the Acme Supermarkets that have acquired many of the A&P locations. We thank them for their generosity and recognition that as new members of this community, they have been passed the torch of helping our most vulnerable neighbors. We wish them well in this market and look forward to a long and productive relationship. Along with the new Foodtowns, Key Foods and other independently owned stores in this area – and the commitment of our other long-term food distributors and supermarket partners, we are more confident than ever that many opportunities lay ahead. So watch as we continue to shatter our goals and provide more nutritious food, reassurance and hope in 2016 to the people in northern New Jersey who need it the most!