Category: Blog

We are excited to announce that Table to Table has launched a new and updated website.  As technology is ever changing along with the need to feed our hungry neighbors, we felt it was time to enhance our website, not just aesthetically but also in content and functionality.

To improve on our past website we have integrated many new features including social media plugins as well as the addition of a Blog.  We want to communicate and connect with you on all your favorite sites including Facebook, Twitter and Google +. And by joining the social media conversation we hope that you will engage in conversation with us!

We also have completely revamped our donation page.  We believe it’s important to see examples of how your money is being put to good use.  No matter what amount you contribute, you can see how much of a difference you’ll really make.  And as always, your transaction is completely safe and secure.

Another page to visit is Table Talk.  We love this one!  Read up on testimonials from the individuals we serve. There are still so many to post so do check back to read up on the latest.  It’s stories like these that help us and our partners inspire you to join our work!

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, the new version of our website puts the core mission of Table to Table front and center. We want you to know who we are and how we meet and exceed our goals every year. It is important to understand that there are quite a few things that set us apart from other hunger organizations.  For example, as you may or may not know, we deliver food for free.  We take no government money and deliver nutritious food that is often served the very same day we pick it up!

So please, take a look when you have a moment or two.  Share your thoughts with us and share the site with your friends.  Feeding the neighbors in our very own backyards is our priority and we couldn’t do it without you!  As always, thank you for your support of Table to Table.

This spring, two renowned chefs will lend their star power to Table to Table’s spring signature events. Mario Batali, whose culinary empire spans 26 restaurants and food markets (including New York’s Eataly), and Food Network star Anne Burrell will join the area’s most popular restaurants for Table to Table’s premier food and wine events, the Chefs Gala and the all-new BBQ & B’Yond.  The settings range from formal to informal, but they share common themes: imaginative food and interesting wines served by some of the area’s most beloved restaurateurs, including Ryan DePersio of Fascino and Battello, Chris Albrecht of Eno Terra and Peter Kelly of Xaviars at Piermont.

On Wednesday, April 30, the black-tie Chefs Gala at Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange welcomes celebrated chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Mario Batali as guest of honor.  One of the world’s best-loved chefs, Batali presides over a culinary empire that includes 26 restaurants and food markets in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Singapore, Hong Kong and other hot spots. He has authored nine cookbooks.  The event showcases six notable chefs and their signature dishes, including Chris Albrecht of Eno Terra, Massimo Carbone of Brio, George Georgiades of Varka Estiatorio, Raffaele Ronca of Ristorante Rafele, Robert Albers of Pleasantdale Chateau, and Peter Kelly of Xaviars at Piermont. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with live entertainment by Mark Sganga & Friends. Celebrity auctioneer and Antiques Roadshow regular Nicholas Lowry of New York City’s Swann Auction Galleries will conduct the evening’s Live Auction. Lowry sits on the Board of Trustees of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art and has served an unprecedented three terms as President of the International Auctioneers Association. Tickets are $450 per person, $600 for VIP Patron tickets. VIP Patron tables of 10 are $6,000 and include priority seating, special recognition and a VIP gift bag.

On Thursday, May 22, chef, cookbook author and Food Network star Anne Burrell serves as guest of honor at Table to Table’s inaugural BBQ & B’Yond at Hackensack Golf Club in Oradell.  A versatile chef and TV personality, she currently hosts the popular Food Network shows Chef Wanted, Worst Cooks in America and Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.  The event brings together 28 of the area’s best-loved restaurants, all going “above and beyond” with a wide-ranging menu of signature dishes starring BBQ, burgers and bacon. A selection of wines chosen by Chuck Russo of Carlo Russo’s Wine & Spirit World will also be featured. Participating restaurants include Upstairs, Capital Grille, River Palm Terrace and Axia Taverna with desserts provided by Carlos Bakery. The lively and informal evening begins at 6:30 p.m. and features a silent auction and blues tunes by Mark Sganga & Friends.  Tickets are $195 per person ($150 for Young Professionals, 31 years old or under) and $350 for VIP Patron tickets. VIP Patron tables of 10 are $3,500 and include reserved seating, special recognition and a VIP gift bag.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS!

If you actually sat down and thought about how much food you actually waste per week, would you be willing to post that on Facebook? According to studies by the National Resources Defense Council, wasted food account for 25% of rotting waste in landfills across the United States.

One analogy the NRDC poses is that if every person were to go to the grocery store and buy three paper bags full of food, and every person drops one in the parking lot and leaves it there – that would equal the amount of wasted food in the United States per year.

In New Jersey alone, there are more than 1 million people who have no idea where their next meal will come from. One thing you can do in your own home to reduce the amount of food wasted, is to buy less and eat more of what you purchase. Here are a few tips from Table to Table in NJ on how to reduce food waste in your home:

1. When you go grocery shopping, check the expiration dates. If you don’t feel like you will consume the product by that date, buy a smaller package.
2. When food shopping, don’t buy things just because they are on sale. We know – it’s hard to resist a good deal, but wasting isn’t part of a good deal.
3. Put smaller portions on your plate when serving a meal at home. If you want more, put another, even smaller portion on your plate. This will eliminate putting too much food on your plate that gets scraped into the trashcan after the meal.
4. Take leftovers and pack them for lunch the next day. If you don’t think you will eat it the next day, put it in a container and freeze to enjoy again at a later date.
5. Be sure your fresh food is stored properly. Make sure you put it in sealed containers and keep it in the appropriate temperature.
6. Start a compost. Many people think composting at home is way too much work. There is even a way to compost inside an apartment! For details and instructions on how to do this at home, visit the EPA.org compost page. Composting turns your uneaten biodegradable foods into enriched soil perfect for gardening.

At Table to Table we are passionate about cutting down the amount of food waste here in New Jersey.  Each and every member of this community has an important role to play ensuring that our environment remains safe and all of our neighbors are well-fed and healthy!

American Airlines Proudly Supports Table to Table

There are few things that I have owned for 15 years that I truly cherish. Without a doubt, though, supporting Table to Table ranks high on that list. The admirable organization that collects food and delivers it to the hungry is celebrating its 15th anniversary, and I am proud to say that American Airlines has been a champion for the non-profit since day one.

As a global airline, we understand our responsibilities as a global citizen begins in the communities we live and work in. American Airlines proudly participates in a wide range of sponsorship opportunities, and civic and charitable events throughout the Greater New York and New Jersey area.

Our hats off to Table to Table and their commitment to driving social change for a better quality of life for so many. In 15 years, they have taken risks, tried new ideas, formed fruitful partnerships and recruited amazing individuals who have propelled their work even further to change lives. Here’s to them and to those who elevate the world around them. Congratulations.

Joann Camuti
Regional Manager, Sales Promotions & Community Relations, Eastern Division

Over the past 15 years, Table to Table has helped to significantly reduce the amount of wasted food in Bergen, Hudson, Essex and Passaic counties in NJ while feeding tens of thousands of our hungry neighbors.

Working solely within our own community, and without government assistance, the volunteers, directors and staff work each and every day to pick up food that would otherwise be thrown out and bring it directly to those in need.  We are proud of the work we do and pleased to answer any questions from the community.  We have outlined a few basics and common questions below:

What do we do exactly?

Table to Table picks up food that would otherwise be discarded (but that is still in date and 100% healthy,) and delivers it via refrigerated vehicles to pantries, shelters, churches and social service agencies across Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Passaic counties in N.J. Food is typically donated for a variety of reasons including the impact of weather on consumer behavior, over-ordering and over-shipment of fresh food. We load this food into one of our five refrigerated vehicles and deliver it that very same day to more than 80 agencies that feed hungry neighbors.

Who benefits from the organization?

Our not-for-profit delivers to dozens of shelters and pantries across the four northern N.J. counties. Some of the facilities that receive donations include, A Village for Humanity, Irvington, Cresskill Food Pantry, Bridges to Success, Paterson, Salvation Army, Passaic, Miracle’s Ground, Newark, OASIS – A Haven for Women and Children, Paterson, St. Lucy’s Emergency Shelter, Jersey City, and Strengthen our Sister’s, Wanaque. These are only a small sampling of the deliveries made regularly by Table to Table. For a complete list, see our Who Receives page.

Equally notable are our food donors. Without their beautiful food, Table to Table could not and would not be so effective.  Those who donate include, Inserra ShopRite, A&P Supermarkets, DePiero’s Farm, Montvale, AuerPak Produce, Secaucus, Allendale Bar & Grill, Whitson’s Culinary Group, Secaucus, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s. Again, this is just a small sample of the businesses that support Table to Table. For a complete list, visit our donation page.

So, now you know exactly how it works. Have you really thought about why?

Consider This

Think about how much food you might waste within your own home. Even a family of two tends to waste enough food to sustain another family of two.

Imagine that waste multiplied to the amount that a grocery store must buy to anticipate the purchases of its customers for the next week. Then a snowstorm prevents people from shopping for a couple of days and food is now approaching the expiration mark and must be taken off the shelf to be replaced by fresher products. Where does that food go?

Here.  In 2013 alone, Table to Table rescued and delivered enough food for more than 11 million meals.

Despite challenges that included a sputtering economy, rising gas prices and even a devastating hurricane, Table to Table finished 2012 on a high note — exceeding its goal to deliver 8.5 million meals by well over a million meals. “By December 31, 2012, we had actually delivered enough food for more than ten million meals,” says Ilene Isaacs, Executive Director. In addition, Table to Table met and exceeded another of its most important goals — to deliver more than two million meals to Newark, as part of a new initiative that dramatically extends Table to Table’s geographic footprint. “We also increased the number of agencies that we serve in the city.”

Naturally, Table to Table kicked off 2013 by establishing an even higher goal: to deliver 11 million meals, with three million allocated to Newark.

“We are thrilled and encouraged by our success last year. All of this occurred despite a difficult fourth quarter, where Hurricane Sandy closed down many of our food donors and limited the amount of food available at others but our trucks were immediately out on the road, seeking new food sources and making deliveries to the recipients that rely on our being there,” she said.

Mark your calendar and make a date to join Table to Table for our 7th Annual Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch fundraiser.

This grass-roots effort gets bigger and better every year, as we team up to help feed thousands of neighborhood kids and their families. Imagine…simply by bagging your lunch one day and donating what you’d have otherwise spent, you can help feed a family of four a week! Join us and help spread the word by clicking here for more information!

As every Springsteen fan knows, Bruce is committed to helping local communities. Specifically in New Jersey, he has a long history of supporting hunger relief efforts. Table to Table was the featured charity for the evening when Bruce’s Wrecking Ball Tour rolled through The Prudential Center on May 2nd. Not only was it a spectacular concert, but Bruce’s magic touched fans to donate a record breaking total to help Table to Table bring a second million meals to Newark.

CNBC’s Ron Insana Salutes Table to Table – check it out!

Most years, Table to Table reaches its year-end goal in a nail-biting, race-to-the-finish flurry that brings us within hours of the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. This year, we’re delighted to report a surprisingly less stressful finale. Our goal – seven million meals – was reached by mid-September and, some 14 weeks later, we said so-long to 2011 with a record-breaking 8+ million meals delivered throughout Bergen, Essex, Passaic and Hudson counties.

The reasons for the strong finish are many (including more donors with more food and drivers who give 110% each and every day), but, make no mistake, the need is greater than ever before. Inspired by our success, we’re setting the bar even higher in 2012 – 8.5 million meals. Will you help us?