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Tag: I-Rescue

Editor’s note: This write-up was first published by City Lifestyle’s Eastern Morris. Click here to view it.

Since 1999, Table to Table — New Jersey’s leading food security nonprofit — has bridged the gap between surplus and need, delivering fresh, nutritious food to vulnerable communities. Support this vital mission at the Chefs Gala on Oct. 15 at The Rockleigh. Indulge in an elegant, multi-course dinner prepared tableside by top chefs, prepared with fine wines and desserts, plus a thrilling live auction. Reserve your seat today at tabletotable.org/chefsgala2026.

Related:

MetLife Stadium donated 1,000 pounds of prepared food to a non-profit.

Editor’s note: This aggerated article was first published on nj101.5.com. Click here to read the entire article.

That article was based on a viral social media post we did on Saturday regarding a food rescue we ran at MetLife Stadium. That post has garnered nearly 3 million views, to date.

There was a silver lining to the storm delay of AC/DC’s concert at MetLife Stadium.

As the nor’easter pounded northern New Jersey the concert was delayed, but not before 1,000 pounds of fresh sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more was prepared for concertgoers in the stadium’s 200 suites.

So, they contacted Table to Table, a nonprofit food rescue based in Saddle Brook. They immediately responded and brought the donated food to Iglesia Evangélica Pentecostal church in Union City.

“Over 1.2 million of our neighbors in NJ face food insecurity, while nearly 3 billion pounds of surplus food is produced each year in our state, much of which goes to waste,” NJ 101.5 wrote, citing a social media post we wrote about Food Waste Prevention Week.

Related:

Over 30 top NJ chefs will cook tableside at the 2026 Table to Table Chefs Gala to help fight local food insecurity.

Editor’s note: This aggerated article was first published on NorthJersey.com. It was also posted to aol.com Click here to read the entire article on aol.com

More than 30 top New Jersey chefs will cook multi-course dinners tableside at the annual Table to Table Chefs Gala on Oct. 15, 2026 … and you can participate.

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 Robbie Felice (pastaRAMEN, Viaggio and others), Roberto Carnero (Warique), Melanie Gonzalez (Saddle River Inn), Andrew Riccatelli (Bacarosa), Greg Power (Matisse 167) and others. The chef honoree at the gala will be acclaimed chef and author Kwame Onwuachi.

“What Table to Table is doing, rescuing nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste and getting it directly into communities, is read, tangible work,” Onwuachi said. “I’m honored to be recognized at the Chefs Gala, but more importantly, I’m proud to be support an organization addressing both sides of that equation – reducing waste while helping feed people who need it.”

The gala format is unique and was such a smash hit last year that Table to Table decided to run it back this year, just in a bigger space.

“It’s not easy to get tables at these chefs’ restaurants,” Table to Table Executive Director Heather Thompson 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.”

Related:

Over 30 top NJ chefs will cook tableside at the 2026 Table to Table Chefs Gala to help fight local food insecurity.

Editor’s note: This aggerated article was first published on NorthJersey.com. It was also posted to Yahoo! Click here to read the entire article on Yahoo!

More than 30 top New Jersey chefs will cook multi-course dinners tableside at the annual Table to Table Chefs Gala on Oct. 15, 2026 … and you can participate.

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 Robbie Felice (pastaRAMEN, Viaggio and others), Roberto Carnero (Warique), Melanie Gonzalez (Saddle River Inn), Andrew Riccatelli (Bacarosa), Greg Power (Matisse 167) and others. The chef honoree at the gala will be acclaimed chef and author Kwame Onwuachi.

“What Table to Table is doing, rescuing nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste and getting it directly into communities, is read, tangible work,” Onwuachi said. “I’m honored to be recognized at the Chefs Gala, but more importantly, I’m proud to be support an organization addressing both sides of that equation – reducing waste while helping feed people who need it.”

The gala format is unique and was such a smash hit last year that Table to Table decided to run it back this year, just in a bigger space.

“It’s not easy to get tables at these chefs’ restaurants,” Table to Table Executive Director Heather Thompson 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.”

Related:

Our Executive Director Heather Thompson recently discussed how our food rescue efforts with farms, grocery stores, and distributors help combat food insecurity in northern New Jersey communities on “Think Tank” with Steve Adubato.

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:

We participated in BD’s annual year’s Difference in a Day in Franklin Lakes.

BD associates helped our staffers create practical solutions for real challenges that will have a lasting impact on our 27-year mission of rescuing food, reducing waste, and relieving hunger in northern New Jersey.

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:

Ed Trucil is the subject of Table to Table’s most recent volunteer spotlight.

“Volunteering to help rescue food, reduce waste, and relieve hunger has been such a rewarding way to enjoy my retirement,” Ed said. “Providing transportation from the generous donors to the agencies that serve the hungry has helped connect me to our community in a new way, and also opened my eyes to the importance of sustainability. In addition, I’d like to give a big shoutout to the many volunteers and behind-the-scenes staff who make this organization so successful!”

Volunteering Like Ed Does

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 Ed 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 1.1 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.

More than an estimated 120 million pounds of food, worth about $400 million, will go uneaten during the upcoming Independence Day weekend. That is about 20 percent of the food meant to be eaten during that time, according to ReFED, a national nonprofit working to end food waste by leveraging data and connecting individuals to help foster large-scale change within the food ecosystem. ReFED calculated the amount based on a survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

About an estimated 126 million pounds of food was wasted during the 2025 Independence Day weekend, according to ReFED.

Cost and Scale
  • Total Food Wasted: Over 120 million pounds of food ends up in the trash.
  • Financial Loss: The wasted food costs nearly $400 million.
  • Spending Per Person: Consumers spend an average of $94.41 on Fourth of July food alone

The most popular, and costly, type of wasted food is beef. More than half of the methane emissions from wasted food on Independence Day come from beef, according to ReFED. These emissions are equal to the emissions generated by powering 50,000 American homes for a year. Other high-waste foods include ice cream, pork, and potato chips.

The waste associated with the Independence Day holiday does not just occur when consumers fail to eat it. It can be measured throughout the food ecosystem lifecycle. The wasted used to produce this food can supply about 14 days of residential waster use throughout the state of California, according to ReFED.

Fourth of July Food Waste Reduction Tips

  • Buy only what you need: Plan out your meal ahead of time. That way, you only buy what you know people want. You also avoid impulse buying. You reduce food waste and save money!
  • Storage is key: Explore the best way to store different types of produce to keep them fresh for as long as possible – learn what goes on the counter, what belongs in bags, what should or shouldn’t be pre-washed. And don’t forget about your freezer. Many foods can be frozen for later use, like rolls and hamburger and hot dog meat.
  • Love your leftovers: Make sure you eat your leftovers. Instead of letting them droop in the back of the fridge, try folding them into new meals. Got some roasted veggies from last night’s dinner? Throw them into an omelet for breakfast or a salad for lunch. Leftover chicken? Shred it up and make tacos or toss it into a stir-fry.

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.


Editor’s note: The above screenshot of photos first appeared in 201 Magazine’s June 2026 issue. Click here to view the photos.

201 Magazine ran a series of photos in their “be social” section from the 16th annual Behind The Seams fashion show that benefitted Table to Table. The event raised $200,000, enough to fund the rescue of nutritious food for 2 million healthy meals for our hungry neighbors.

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.

To our Food Rescue Hero Volunteers,

I want to take a moment this National Volunteer Appreciation Month to personally thank you for the incredible role you play in advancing our mission. Because of your dedication, compassion, and willingness to step up day after day, we continue to rescue and deliver millions of pounds of fresh, nutritious food to our neighbors in need. That is not just impactful; it is life-changing work.

You are more than volunteers — you are a vital part of the Table to Table family. Every pickup, every delivery, every moment you give helps reduce food waste while bringing hope and nourishment to communities across New Jersey. The difference you make is real, and it is deeply appreciated.

April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, and there is no better time to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary commitment you bring to this work. This month is a reminder of just how essential volunteers are to communities everywhere, but here at Table to Table, we see your impact every single day. We are incredibly grateful for all that you do and proud to celebrate YOU.

Simply put, none of this is possible without you.

Thanks again for your time, your energy, and your belief in what we do. Together, let’s continue to turn surplus into sustenance – one rescue at a time.

With gratitude,

A stylized handwritten signature in black ink, featuring looping, cursive strokes with overlapping lines and flourishes on a light background.

Heather Thompson,

Executive Director

Table to Table

© 2026 TableToTable - All rights reserved. Table to Table is a 501(c)(3) organization, Tax ID 22-3646125

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