Over 370 staff members partnered with New Jersey food rescue program to support local hunger relief efforts
Basking Ridge, NJ – Affinity Federal Credit Union (“Affinity”) hosted its fourth annual Impact Day by partnering Table to Table, New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue organization, to provide nearly 5,000 meals to local families in need. Over 370 Affinity employees took part in the event at the credit union’s headquarters in Basking Ridge on Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day, October 14, when branches were closed. Employees made meals including sandwiches, snacks, water and wrote words of inspiration for recipients. The meals were distributed to 16 community non-profits across the northern half of New Jersey that work directly with individuals and families in need.
“This collective effort by Affinity’s employees across our footprint, from Lawrenceville, New Jersey to New Haven, Connecticut and everywhere in between hits at the core of our mission of people helping people,” said Kevin Brauer, CEO and President of Affinity Federal Credit Union. “The feeling of giving back to our communities is like no other. I’m proud of our work to tackle food insecurity and support some of those most impacted.”
The event marked the largest single-day volunteer initiative in the history of Table to Table, which has partnered with community service groups across North Jersey since its inception in 1999. Table to Table collects fresh, nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste from farms, distributors, stores, restaurants and more, and delivers it for free directly to organizations that feed the hungry.
“We are incredibly overjoyed by the collaboration, enthusiasm, and commitment of Affinity’s volunteers to give back to our communities in need,” said Heather Thompson, Executive Director of Table to Table. “This effort not only provides nourishment to thousands of struggling neighbors, but also it provides hope. We are grateful to Affinity for making an event of this scale a successful reality.”
“This year’s Impact Day demonstrates how powerful we can be when we work together toward a shared goal,” said Kelly Watts, Executive Director of the Affinity Foundation. “By partnering with Table to Table, our team made a tangible difference for thousands of our neighbors, reinforcing our belief that financial wellbeing begins with basic security and support.”
About Affinity Federal Credit Union
Affinity Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution, member-owned and community-focused, with a mission to nurture your financial wellbeing. With 20 branches across the tri-state area, Affinity is the largest credit union headquartered in the state of New Jersey, proudly ranking in the top 2% of all credit unions in terms of asset size1. The Affinity difference is about people helping people on a deeper level and understanding what YOU need to make your unique dreams a reality. For more information, please visit www.affinityfcu.com.
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 work with food businesses of all types to rescue 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.
Click here to view a gallery of photos from the event.
