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Blogs About Table To Table Helping Neighbors

Editor’s note: This article was aggregated from NorthJersey.com. Click here to read the rest of the article.

Ridgewood is expanding its composting program thanks to a new food recycling bin being installed in the village, official said. Department of Public Works Sean Hamilin told NorthJersey.com that residents can drop off their food scraps 24 hours a day, seven days a week, an increase from the limited hours and days residents used to be able to, the website reported.

Ridgewood began its food scraps composting program in March 2021. Since then, the village has diverted 88 tons of food waste, which equates to 26 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, Village Manager Keith Kazmark told NorthJersey.com.

Table to Table is New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, bridging the gap between food being wasted and people facing food insecurity. We bring rescued fresh, nutritious food to 303 community partners, including social service organizations, pantries, shelters, fresh produce markets and centralized distribution hubs. Food is provided free of charge. Through this, Table to Table touches a diversity of those in need, including families, children, veterans, and older adults, making good nutrition accessible while serving as a stimulus for other longer-term benefits. Since 1999 we have rescued more than 120,700 tons of nutritious food—enough for 241,400,846 million meals—and delivered it to our neighbors in need, saving over 544 metric tons of methane from entering the environment.

Related:

Mr. and Mrs. Esposito are Table to Table’s March Volunteer Spotlight. It is the first time we have featured someone from Morris County for our Volunteer Spotlight!

“As members of Hands of St. Luke in Long Valley, my husband and I are proud to be part of a dedicated group of volunteers who work with Table to Table. We are honored to help pick up and deliver boxes of food in Morris County from the Chester ShopRite, ensuring that those in need in our communities are fed,” Mrs. Esposito said. “While the need is great, we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact alongside many hardworking volunteers. We feel truly humbled to contribute, even in small ways, to improving the lives of others.”

Volunteering Like Mr. and Mrs. Esposito Do

Signing up to be a Table to Table volunteer is easy. Julie Kinner, Table to Table’s Vice President of Operations, said all you have to do is download the Table to Table I-Rescue app, powered by Food Rescue Hero, on your phone to become a food rescue hero! You’ll complete a simple registration process and volunteer agreement, and then you can get started. The app walks you through every step! This is what Mr. and Mrs. Esposito uses.

Volunteers of all ages are welcome to volunteer with our food rescue program. However, the driver must have a valid driver’s license, and a valid vehicle registration and insurance. 

Since we launched, more than 350 volunteers have completed more than 9,600 rescues and delivered more than 2 million pounds of donated food that would have been thrown away.

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, our mission is to reduce food waste and provide nourishment to our food-insecure neighbors throughout North Jersey. We rescue millions of pounds of fresh food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills, contributing to climate change. We deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Together, we can reduce food waste in our home and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort—no matter how small—leads to change.

The ladies of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority at Seton Hall University are Table to Table’s February Volunteer Spotlight.

“Alpha Gamma Delta partners with Table to Table to support our shared mission of combatting food insecurity within out community,” the sorority said. “Committed to reducing food waste, we strive to ensure that surplus food is redirected to those who need it most.”

Alpha Gamma Delta made more than 500 PB&J sandwiches during Table to Table’s first Greek college volunteer initiative earlier this month. The sandwiches were donated to Orange United Methodist Church.

Also, the sorority plans to partner with us more in the future. They want to host another sandwich-making event, along with a food drive.

Volunteering Like Alpha Gamma Delta Did

Signing up to be a Table to Table volunteer is easy. Julie Kinner, Table to Table’s Vice President of Operations, said all you have to do is download the Table to Table I-Rescue app, powered by Food Rescue Hero, on your phone to become a food rescue hero! You’ll complete a simple registration process and volunteer agreement, and then you can get started. The app walks you through every step! This is what Veer and his team uses.

Volunteers of all ages are welcome to volunteer with our food rescue program. However, the driver must have a valid driver’s license, and a valid vehicle registration and insurance. 

Since we launched, more than 350 volunteers have completed more than 9,600 rescues and delivered more than 2 million pounds of donated food that would have been thrown away.

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, our mission is to reduce food waste and provide nourishment to our food-insecure neighbors throughout North Jersey. We rescue millions of pounds of fresh food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills, contributing to climate change. We deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Together, we can reduce food waste in our home and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort—no matter how small—leads to change.

It may come as a surprise, but reducing food waste does a lot more than just ensure more food for people who need it. Food waste and loss reduction is actually a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. It’s an issue that Table to Table has embraced as a core part of our mission, focusing on rescuing perfectly good food that would otherwise be discarded in landfills and redirecting it to people facing food insecurity. This approach not only helps address hunger but also mitigates environmental harm. The best part is that anyone, anywhere can make a difference by simply reducing the amount of food they waste. 

The entire lifecycle of food—from growing and packaging to distributing, storing, and ultimately throwing it away—accounts for up to one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Within this, food loss and waste alone contribute to a staggering 10% of those emissions. By tackling this issue, we have a chance to significantly reduce our environmental footprint. 

A particularly concerning aspect of food waste is the methane it produces when decomposing in landfills. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that has a much stronger impact on global warming than carbon dioxide. However, methane breaks down relatively quickly in the atmosphere, usually within about 12 years – a much shorter time span than carbon dioxide. This means that reducing methane emissions can have a rapid and noticeable cooling effect on the planet, providing a short-term solution while we continue to work on longer-term climate strategies. 

The global community has recognized methane as an urgent priority, describing it as an “emergency brake” to slow the effects of climate change. By addressing methane emissions, we can quickly lower atmospheric greenhouse gases and reduce short-term warming. Since food degrading in landfills is responsible for an estimated 14% of U.S. methane emissions, reducing food waste is an essential, immediate step to create a more sustainable and resilient future for our planet. 

 ReFED, a U.S.-based nonprofit that works to advance solutions to food waste, released new data with support from the Global Methane Hub that reveals the methane hotspots for uneaten or “surplus” food in the U.S., and highlights solutions that can reduce waste and slash methane emissions.  Learn more here: ReFED Blog.  

Since starting our food rescue mission in 1999, Table to Table has prevented more than 544 metric tons of methane gas from being released into the atmosphere. You can be part of the solution right here in New Jersey!  To help reduce food waste in your community, you can claim a food rescue using our I-Rescue app or volunteer. 

Editor’s note: This blog was written by Valerie Jacklin, who oversees Research & Analytics for Table to Table.  

Table to Table's Valerie Jacklin

What foods are heart healthy? February is American Heart Month. It is a month dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Table to Table takes pride in rescuing fresh, nutritious heart-healthy fruits and vegetables from our hundreds of food donors, including apples, broccoli, and carrots.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the following foods are a part of a heart-healthy eating plan:

  • Vegetables such as leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, cabbage), broccoli, and carrots
  • Fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears, grapes, and prunes
  • Whole grains such as plain oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-grain bread or tortillas
  • Fat-free or low-fat dairy foods such as milk, cheese, or yogurt
  • Protein-rich foods:
  • Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, and trout)
  • Lean meats such as 95% lean ground beef or pork tenderloin or skinless chicken or turkey
  • Eggs
  • Nuts, seeds, and soy products (tofu)
  • Legumes such as kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lima beans
  • Oils and foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats:
  • Canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, sunflower, and soybean oils (not coconut or palm oil)
  • Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and pine nuts
  • Nut and seed butters
  • Salmon and trout
  • Seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, or flax)
  • Avocados
  • Tofu

Read more about what we’re doing to rescue healthy surplus food and deliver it to our hungry neighbors.

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, our mission is to reduce food waste and provide nourishment to our food-insecure neighbors throughout North Jersey. We rescue millions of pounds of fresh food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills. This contributes to climate change. We deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Together, we can reduce food waste in our home and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort—no matter how small—leads to change.

Join us in congratulating Veer Agarwal, who is featured in Table to Table’s January Volunteer Spotlight.

Agarwal is a Livingston High School junior and the founder of ResQFood, a food rescue club. Veer received the President’s Volunteer Service Award’s highest honor—the Lifetime Achievement Award thanks to his volunteer food rescue efforts with Table to Table! Congratulations, Veer!

“I am a proud volunteer of Table to Table because of what this organization and cause stands for. Every person in New Jersey should have secure access to healthy meals, but the reality is that 1 million people are food insecure and 3 billion pounds of food gets thrown out annually. When picking up waste from restaurants and donating to local food pantries, I feel satisfied knowing that some family out there is benefitting from my efforts,” Agarwal said. “Additionally, I value my role as a high school volunteer for Table to Table. With a driver’s license, I can now use my newfound independence to serve the community. It is inspiring to know that I am part of the future generation of food rescue heroes, keeping Table to Table’s mission of combating hunger in safe hands.”

Table to Table Executive Director Heather Thompson and Veer Agarwal, founder of ResQFood.

Signing up to be a Table to Table volunteer is easy. Julie Kinner, Table to Table’s VP of Operations, said all you have to do is download the Table to Table I-Rescue app, powered by Food Rescue Hero, on your phone to become a food rescue hero! You’ll complete a simple registration process and volunteer agreement, and then you can get started. The app walks you through every step! This is what Veer and his team uses.

Volunteers of all ages are welcome to volunteer with our food rescue program. However, the driver must have a valid driver’s license, and a valid vehicle registration and insurance. 

Since we launched, more than 350 volunteers have completed more than 9,600 rescues and delivered more than 2 million pounds of donated food that would have been thrown away.

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, our mission is to reduce food waste and provide nourishment to our food-insecure neighbors throughout North Jersey. We rescue millions of pounds of fresh food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills, contributing to climate change. We deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Together, we can reduce food waste in our home and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort—no matter how small–leads to change.

In the latest episode of “Table Talk,” we’re going behind the scenes at Pony Power Therapies in Mahwah, NJ and their Farm in the Forest, an educational garden that community members can visit and learn the basics of gardening. Pony Power also donates surplus vegetables from the garden, including 600 pounds, to Table to Table and other organizations.

“As a community, we need to care for one another. We can’t live in our own silos. This farm provides that to our community,” said Tracy Rudnick, assistant farm manager.

“We don’t forget about those in need and we’re trying to make sure that we are a part of a bigger community besides just ourselves so it’s really wonderful to have that connection, to know that when we give produce to different organizations it’s going to people who can use it.”

For more Table Talk episodes, visit our YouTube channel.

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, our mission is to reduce food waste and provide nourishment to our food-insecure neighbors throughout North Jersey. We rescue millions of pounds of fresh food annually that would otherwise be wasted and deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Together, we can reduce food waste in our home and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort—no matter how small–leads to change.  

Related

AJ Capella has spent years as a silent creative, developing some of the top menus in New Jersey for over a decade. Now, at 35 years old, he’s making a name for himself.

AJ Capella lent his culinary expertise to make Table to Table’s 25th Anniversary Chefs Gala an unforgettable experience. He not only cooked tableside for guests, but was a co-chair. His efforts, and the efforts of more than 25 of New Jersey’s best chefs, helped raise enough funds to provide 4.5 million nutritious meals.

Table to Table, NJ’s first food rescue organization, collects fresh and perishable surplus food that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to organizations that serve people experiencing hunger in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Passaic counties in Northern NJ. We bring rescued fresh, nutritious food to 200+ partner organizations including social service organizations, pantries, shelters, fresh produce markets and centralized distribution hubs. Food is provided free of charge. Through this, we touch a diversity of those in need, including families, children, veterans, and older adults, making good nutrition accessible while serving as a stimulus for other longer-term benefits. Table to Table raises all its own funds annually, and last year delivered enough food to provide over 23 million meals.  

Credit: CBS Mornings

Join us in congratulating Rita Sorbera, Table to Table’s November Volunteer of the Month.

Rita has been volunteering with Table to Table since 2021. She said she volunteers with us because no one should go without food.

“Too many people in our communities do not have resources to feed their families. I am grateful to Table to Table for making a difference and in turn, allowing me to make a difference,” Rita said.

Signing up to be a Table to Table volunteer is easy. Julie Kinner, Table to Table’s VP of Operations, said all you have to do is download the Table to Table I-Rescue app, powered by Food Rescue Hero, on your phone to become a food rescue hero! You’ll complete a simple registration process and volunteer agreement, and then you can get started. The app walks you through every step! Or, you could do what Kyle and Musashi did and organize a fresh food drive.

Volunteers of all ages are welcome to volunteer with our food rescue program. However, the driver must have a valid driver’s license, and a valid vehicle registration and insurance. 

Since we launched, more than 350 volunteers have completed more than 9,600 rescues and delivered more than 2 million pounds of donated food that would have been thrown away.

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, our mission is to reduce food waste and provide nourishment to our food-insecure neighbors throughout North Jersey. We rescue millions of pounds of fresh food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills, contributing to climate change. We deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Together, we can reduce food waste in our home and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort—no matter how small–leads to change.

By Nicolle Walker

As a personal chef, I am always thinking about the next meal that I am making. And as a food access advocate and Table to Table volunteer/emerging leader, I am always thinking about how to make sure that food waste becomes a thing of the past. 

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that begs for excess. The “once-a-year” meal promises leftovers galore, but how many days in a row can we really eat “gobbler” sandwiches? I have some new ideas to transform that turkey and sides into new meals that you will want to savor, maybe even more than the traditional ones! 

Stuffing Strata

Stuffing Strata is the perfect morning after breakfast.

Before heading off to bed combine leftover stuffing with shredded turkey (or ham), any roasted veggies, eggs and cream, and a healthy sprinkle of cheese.

Cover and let sit in the fridge overnight, then bake covered at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes for a hearty breakfast that everyone will love. 

Potato Soup

Mashed potatoes almost never last in my house, but if you find yourself with extras, try making a pot of potato soup!

Bring your mashed potatoes to room temperature, then combine them in a pot with your choice of chicken or vegetable broth and whisk. Start with equal amounts of potatoes and broth, then thin until you find your desired consistency.

Serve with shredded cheddar, sliced scallions, maybe some crumbled bacon, and of course a turkey sandwich! 

These are just a few ideas about transforming Thanksgiving leftovers into delicious meals! Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Editor’s note: Nicolle Walker is a volunteer with Table to Table and a member of our Emerging Leaders Council. She is the executive chef and owner of Love & Plates.

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