Ridgewood Schools Help “Rescue” Food, Get It to Local Seniors

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on TAPinto Ridgewood. Click here to read the entire story.

Surplus meals and snacks have been a welcome surprise at Ridgecrest Senior Apartments.

Ridgewood Public Schools and Table to Table, an organization that brings surplus meals to those in need, have teamed up to bring surplus meals and snacks from the district’s seven cafeterias into Ridgewood’s senior apartments.

“We are proud of this shared mission to eliminate food waste in our cafeterias and redirect those resources to those in need,” said Ridgewood Superintendent Dr. Mark Schwarz. It’s a powerful lesson for our students: when we work together, we can turn a logistical challenge into a community solution.”

Since the partnership began in October, 132 rescues have been completed, rescuing more than 10,000 pounds of surplus food.

“The impact that the Ridgewood School District is making for our neighbors in need as well as our planet is nothing short of amazing,” said Table to Table Executive Director Heather Thompson.

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 276 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 133,271 tons of nutritious food — enough for 266,542,863 million meals — and delivered it to our neighbors in need, saving over 612 metric tons of methane saved.

Related:

• Goya Fan Festival Series for World Cup Adds Newark and Jersey City as Host Locations
  How Table to Table Partnership with Ridgewood School District Can Be Model for Fighting Food Insecurity
• Agarwal Addressed Food Waste With New ResQFood Program
• 2 New Jersey Nonprofits Team Up to Distribute Food to Those in Need
• New Jersey School Food Waste Solution Leader Heather Thompson