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Tag: Heather Thompson

Table to Table, a North Jersey food rescue nonprofit, will hold its annual Chefs Gala on Oct. 9. Find out which of the state’s best chefs are coming.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on NorthJersey.com. Click here to read the entire article.

More than 25 of New Jersey’s best chefs are slated to cook multi-course dinners tableside at the annual Table to Table Chefs Gala on Oct. 9, 2025.

The gala is a fundraiser for Table to Table, North Jersey’s largest food rescue organization, and features chefs cooking for and chatting with small groups during the dinner, with wine pairings included. Participating chefs include Leia Gaccione (The Saint Clair), AJ Capella (Summit House), Melany Gonzalez (Saddle River Inn), Andrew Riccatelli (Bacarosa) and others.

“The event is unique and different, it’s not a typical charity event,” said Ryan DePersio, chef/partner of Battello and co-chair of the Chefs Gala. “It’s almost 300 something people that we’re cooking for but 20 people each are getting their own chef. … And it’s cool, like, ‘I’m eating at these restaurants tonight at the gala.'”

The gala will feature an opening cocktail hour and meet-and-greet with the chefs before guess are ushered to the dining room for dinner service. It’s a unique format that Table to Table Executive Director Heather Thompson said offers access to chefs that isn’t typically available otherwise.

“It’s not easy to get tables at these chefs’ restaurants,” she said. “And when you do, you’re not going to have that experience of a chef right next to you watching them work their magic.”

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:

August 4, 2025 – Saddle Brook, NJ – The Partners for Health Foundation has awarded Table to Table, New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, a generous $50,000 grant in support of its 26-year-old mission to reduce food waste and feed individuals and families facing food insecurity throughout northern New Jersey. Table to Table was one of 12 organizations that received grants from the foundation to support direct services and general operations to address health inequities throughout northern Essex County.

“We are incredibly grateful for this generous grant, which supports Table to Table’s mission to keep quality food out of landfills, and provide nourishment to children, families, seniors and veterans who worry about getting their next meal,” said Heather Thompson, executive director, Table to Table. “We are eager to expand our food donor, community partner, and volunteer networks in northern Essex County, allowing us to rescue and deliver more healthy, perishable food that helps improve the lives and health of residents throughout northern Essex County.” Thompson concluded.

“We’re proud to stand alongside nonprofits like Table to Table that make a real difference every day — expanding access to the resources people need to thrive,” said Pam Scott, Executive Director, Partners for Health Foundation. “We look forward to a productive and meaningful partnership,” Scott concluded.

Reliable access to free, nutritious food plays a critical role in individual, family, and community health. It lowers risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases that are more prevalent among individuals facing food insecurity; and healthy food access supports stronger academic/work performance and relieves stress for families facing financial constraints.  Unfortunately, the healthiest foods are often the most expensive, and many traditional pantries primarily offer only shelf-stable items, making it difficult for people relying on these distributions to sustain a healthy diet. Table to Table helps bridge this gap by delivering fresh food, a majority of which is fresh vegetables, fruit, and dairy.

About Table to Table 

Table to Table (http://www.tabletotable.org) 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 saved.

Press Contact: 

Maria Sinopoli, Director of Marketing Communications 

msinopoli@tabletotable.org 

Funds Raised Help Reduce Food Waste and Deliver Enough Food for More Than 23,000 Meals to Food Insecure Neighbors

Saddle Brook, NJ  June 20, 2025 — Table to Table, New Jersey’s first food rescue organization, salutes the students at Godwin and Highland Elementary Schools in Midland Park, NJ with the 2024-2025 Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation Award for Student Philanthropy in support of Table to Table’s Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch initiative, which invites participants to bring a bagged lunch to school for a day, a week, or more, and donate what they would have spent on lunch to help Table to Table reduce food waste and feed those who need it most.   

“What an impressive team! The students of Godwin and Highland Elementary Schools have stepped up as true community champions,” said Heather Thompson, Executive Director of Table to Table. “Thanks to their incredible support of Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch, we’ll be able to rescue food for more than 23,000 meals—reducing food waste and bringing nourishment to thousands of our New Jersey neighbors. Their leadership is a powerful reminder that the future is in great hands. We’re proud to honor them with the 2024-2025 Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation Award for Student Philanthropy,” Thompson concluded. 

Through the kindness of The Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation, a challenge grant of $30,000 among all Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch participating schools in Northern NJ was established. Of the dozens of schools that participated in the 2024-2025 school year, Godwin and Highland Elementary Schools were the top fundraisers. The funds raised will rescue and deliver enough food for 23,000 healthy meals for those in need throughout Northern NJ. That number, along with funds raised by the other schools, was generously doubled by the Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation. 

“On behalf of Godwin and Highland Elementary Schools, we are honored to be the recipient of the 2024-2025 Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation Award for Student Philanthropy in support of Table to Table’s Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch,” said Danielle Bache, Principal of Godwin Elementary School. “We always encourage our students to make a difference in their communities, so we were more than thrilled to hear that our efforts provided enough food for 23,000 meals. I am so proud of these students,” Bache concluded.   

Schools have been key partners in our efforts to end food waste and end hunger for more than 25 years, engaging the next generation of Food Rescue Heroes to take action. Our School Partnerships webpage outlines all the ways schools and students can get involved. Participating schools can make a big impact and can use these activities to earn points through the Sustainable Jersey Schools Certification Program. As an added bonus, our school partners will receive an exclusive Digital Educational Toolkit with grade-specific (Pre-K-8th Grade) lesson plans, activities and videos to help students learn about food waste and food donations.

Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch is made possible by generous sponsors including, Presenting Sponsor: Inserra Supermarkets; Gold Sponsors: Eisai USA Foundation, Kearny Bank, and Benjamin Moore; Silver Sponsors: BAE Systems, Cross River Bank, Hikma, Macy’s/Bloomingdales, Takasago, and The Children’s Place; Bronze Sponsors: DoorDash, Freedom Bank, Peapack-Gladstone Bank, and PNC Bank.

To help Table to Table in their mission to reduce food waste and address food insecurity in New Jersey, Donate Now! For more information on Table to Table, visit us at www.tabletotable.org. 

About Table to Table 

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 work with food businesses of all types to rescued fresh, nutritious surplus food, and deliver it for free to 300+ social service organizations, pantries, shelters, community produce markets and centralized distribution hubs. Through our community partnerships, Table to Table reaches families, children, veterans, older adults, and others in need, improving food security, nutritional access, and better health. 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, while also saving over 544 metric tons of methane from impacting climate change by preventing food waste. 

Contact: 

Maria Sinopoli, Director of Marketing Communications: msinopoli@tabletotable.org 

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

The Morris County Chamber of Commerce has recognized Table to Table’s I-Rescue App with a 2025 Award for Nonprofit Excellence for Innovative Program.

Less than six months since its launch into Morris County, I-Rescue — an innovative app that empowers volunteers to pick up and deliver food donations using their own vehicles — has already facilitated the rescue of more than 80,000 pounds of nutritious surplus food from local grocery stores, farmers markets and restaurants, and redirected it to pantries, shelters and other community agencies throughout Morris County.

April 9, 2025 – Saddle Brook, NJ – The Morris County Chamber of Commerce has recognized Table to Table’s I-Rescue App with a 2025 Award for Nonprofit Excellence for Innovative Program. Less than six months since its launch into Morris County, I-Rescue – an innovative app that empowers volunteers to pick up and deliver food donations using their own vehicles, has already facilitated the rescue of more than 80,000 pounds of nutritious surplus food from local grocery stores, farmers markets and restaurants, and redirected it to pantries, shelters and other community agencies throughout Morris County. 

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, Table to Table mobilizes a fleet of refrigerated trucks, alongside hundreds of volunteers, to rescue over 20 million pounds of food each year and ensure it reaches neighbors facing food insecurity.

The expansion of I-Rescue into Morris County last fall was made possible by a generous grant from Impact 100 Garden State.

“We have been so warmly received throughout Morris County and we and could not be prouder of this recognition from The Morris County Chamber of Commerce,” said Heather Thompson, Executive Director, Table to Table. “We are especially grateful to our generous food donors, tireless volunteers, and community partners, as well as the members of Impact 100 Garden State. Every box of fresh produce, every tray of nutritious food, makes a real difference for someone who wasn’t sure where their next meal would come from. Together, we are bridging the gap between food waste and food insecurity,” Thompson concluded.


How does Table to Table I-Rescue Work?
Table to Table I-Rescue App, powered by Food Rescue Hero, allows volunteers to easily rescue surplus fresh and prepared food from local supermarkets, restaurants, and corporate cafeterias and deliver it to our neighbors facing food insecurity in about an hour. To learn more and download I-Rescue, go to https://tabletotable.org/i-rescue/.


About Table to Table
Table to Table (http://www.tabletotable.org) 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 kept more than 120,700 tons of nutritious, edible food out of landfills—enough for 241,400,846 million meals—and delivered it to our neighbors in need, saving over 544 metric tons of methane from impacting climate change in the process.

Press Contact: Maria Sinopoli, Director of Marketing Communications: msinopoli@tabletotable.org

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

NorthJersey.com’s Matt Cortina takes a look at how North Jersey food pantries are trying to meet growing community need with fewer resources due to recent and proposed changes in federal funding. Table to Table’s Executive Director Heather Thompson was asked to weigh in on what we are hearing and seeing from our community partners. 

“Some are seeing longer lines for food, so we are endeavoring to increase our amounts; others are shifting times and locations of their food distributions to avoid being targeted based on the makeup of the populations they serve, so we are adjusting our delivery schedules accordingly,” she shared. “There is so much uncertainty right now around funding for nonprofits and benefits programs for our neighbors, the best we can do is keep our lines of communication with our partners wide open, listen to what they are experiencing and do our best to respond. No matter what happens, the need for fresh food is not going away.”

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 saved.

Related:

Listen to the exciting journey of school food waste solution leader: Table To Table’s Executive Director Heather Thompson. In this episode, Heather shares about her 20 plus year journey in the not for profit world, which includes learning about food waste, and then pursuing solutions to school food waste through a program called I-Rescue Lunch.

I-Rescue Lunch encourages K-12 students to rescue, recycle and reduce food waste. Partnering with schools, wholesome, unopened food is donated to people in the community who are in need.

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.  

Regular readers of ROI-NJ know we shed light on organizations that are taking steps to confront food insecurity—especially when it’s simple things, like rescuing food that already has been prepared.

Such a thing happened this week when Table to Table, the state’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, announced it has added an airport to its donor list for the first time in its 25-year history.

Table to Table is now rescuing a range of food from Newark Liberty International Airport, including ‘grab and go’ sandwiches, salads and snacks from numerous HMSHost and Hudson locations.

“With three billion meals wasted annually in New Jersey and one million residents experiencing food insecurity, Table to Table is truly grateful to have food donors like HMSHost and Hudson stores at Newark Liberty International Airport joining us to relieve hunger and reduce food waste,” Table To Table Executive Director Heather Thompson said.

“Next time you walk through Newark Airport and notice all the fresh food at these retailers and restaurants—know that every week, all that extra food is being safely picked up and delivered to people who need it.”

Table to Table’s partnership with HMSHost and Hudson, which is part of Avolta, a global travel experience player which operates travel convenience, specialty retail, duty-free, and food and beverage locations in travel venues in 73 countries, soft-launched in late summer.

Currently, Table to Table rescues food from nine HMSHost dining venues in Terminal B and seven Hudson retail locations in Terminals A and B. Plans are in place to grow the program with additional dining venues in Terminal C in the coming months.

Jordi Martin-Consuegra, chief operating officer for Avolta in North America, said the company was eager to help.

“Across our more than 2,000 travel retail and food and beverage locations in North America, there is a tremendous opportunity to have a positive impact in the communities we serve,” she said. “We are proud to partner with Table to Table at Newark Liberty International Airport to help ensure that less food ends up in landfills and more of it finds a way to the tables of those who need it.

“We look forward to growing this program to fight food insecurity throughout New Jersey.”

Fighting food insecurity is easier than you may think.

Table to Table says it rescues fresh, nutritious food to 270+ partner organizations 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, it has rescued more than 109,000 tons of nutritious food—enough for over 311 million meals—and delivered it to our neighbors in need, saving over 72,000 tons of CO2eq from being released into the environment.

Want to get involved? Click here for more information.

Credit: ROI-NJ

Saddle Brook-based Table to Table, New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, has for the first time in its 25-year history added an airport to its food donor roster. The organization is rescuing a range of food, including ‘grab and go’ sandwiches, salads, and snacks from numerous HMSHost and Hudson locations within Newark Liberty International Airport.

“With three billion meals wasted annually in New Jersey and one million residents experiencing food insecurity, Table to Table is truly grateful to have food donors like HMSHost and Hudson stores at Newark Liberty International Airport joining us to relieve hunger and reduce food waste,” said Heather Thompson, executive director, Table to Table. “Next time you walk through Newark Airport and notice all the fresh food at these retailers and restaurants—know that every week, all that extra food is being safely picked up and delivered to people who need it,” Thompson concluded.

Table to Table’s partnership with HMSHost and Hudson—part of leading global travel experience player Avolta, which operates travel convenience, specialty retail, duty-free, and food and beverage locations in travel venues in 73 countries—soft-launched in late summer. Currently, Table to Table rescues food from nine HMSHost dining venues in Terminal B and seven Hudson retail locations in Terminals A and B. Plans are in place to grow the program with additional dining venues in Terminal C in the coming months.

“Across our more than 2,000 travel retail and food and beverage locations in North America, there is a tremendous opportunity to have a positive impact in the communities we serve. We are proud to partner with Table to Table at Newark Liberty International Airport to help ensure that less food ends up in landfills and more of it finds a way to the tables of those who need it. We look forward to growing this program to fight food insecurity throughout New Jersey,” said Jordi Martin-Consuegra, chief operating officer, North America, Avolta.

Credit: The Paramus Post

Saddle Brook-based Table to Table, New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, has for the first time in its 25-year history added an airport to its food donor roster. The organization is rescuing a range of food, including ‘grab and go’ sandwiches, salads, and snacks from numerous HMSHost and Hudson locations within Newark Liberty International Airport.

“With three billion meals wasted annually in New Jersey and one million residents experiencing food insecurity, Table to Table is truly grateful to have food donors like HMSHost and Hudson stores at Newark Liberty International Airport joining us to relieve hunger and reduce food waste,” said Heather Thompson, executive director, Table to Table. “Next time you walk through Newark Airport and notice all the fresh food at these retailers and restaurants—know that every week, all that extra food is being safely picked up and delivered to people who need it,” Thompson concluded.

Table to Table’s partnership with HMSHost and Hudson—part of leading global travel experience player Avolta, which operates travel convenience, specialty retail, duty-free, and food and beverage locations in travel venues in 73 countries—soft-launched in late summer. Currently, Table to Table rescues food from nine HMSHost dining venues in Terminal B and seven Hudson retail locations in Terminals A and B. Plans are in place to grow the program with additional dining venues in Terminal C in the coming months.

“Across our more than 2,000 travel retail and food and beverage locations in North America, there is a tremendous opportunity to have a positive impact in the communities we serve. We are proud to partner with Table to Table at Newark Liberty International Airport to help ensure that less food ends up in landfills and more of it finds a way to the tables of those who need it. We look forward to growing this program to fight food insecurity throughout New Jersey,” said Jordi Martin-Consuegra, chief operating officer, North America, Avolta.

Credit: New Jersey Business Magazine

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