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Tag: I-Rescue

What’s better than a refreshing glass of lemonade?

Is there anything better than a delicious, refreshing glass of ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer day?

While lemonade is a delicious way to quench your thirst, it’s also a way to help feed others who do not have regular access to nutritious food.

Two northern New Jersey siblings from Westfield donated enough proceeds from their lemonade stands last year to rescue enough healthy food for 200 meals!

“Thank you for all of your efforts to rescue food and feed those who need it,” the children’s parents said in a note to us.

Volunteering with Table to Table is easy. We offer many opportunities, including with our I-Rescue app!

If you’re interested in helping Table to Table in a way we haven’t mentioned, including hosting a lemonade stand and donating the proceeds, we’d love to hear from you.

Please visit our volunteer page, complete the form, and someone will get in touch with you. Thank you for your interest in our mission.

Volunteer

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 2025 issue.

201 Magazine ran a piece in their “be social” section about the 15th anniversary of the Behind The Seams fashion show May 27. The event raised $320,000, enough to fund the rescue of nutritious food for 3.2 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 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:

An estimated 126 million pounds of food, worth about $400 million, will go uneaten this during the Fourth of July weekend. That is about 20 percent of the food meant to be eaten this Independence Day, 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.

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.

The United States’ food system is broken. David Cutrona is doing his part to fix it.

Our June Volunteer Spotlight is showcasing Cutrona and his work as an I-Rescue App volunteer. He has been volunteering with us since January.

“I volunteer because our food system is broken,” Cutrona said. “Table to Table’s food rescue missions allow individuals to help tackle this large-scale problem.”

Volunteering Like David Cutrona Does

Cutrona rescues healthy, nutritious food from grocery stores, farmers markets, wholesalers, and other food service businesses and delivers it to churches, senior centers, daycares, and smaller nonprofits, who distribute it to the individuals they serve.

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!

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 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 students are working to end hunger and reduce food waste.

Students at Godwin and Highland Elementary schools in Midland Park were honored with the Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation Award for Student Philanthropy in support of our Bag Lunch, Help a Bunch initiative.

Bag a Lunch participants bring a bagged lunch to school for a day, a week, or more and donate what they would have spent on lunch to help us reduce food waste and help 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.”

Through the kindness of the foundation, a challenge grant of $30,000 among all Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch participating schools in Northern New Jersey was established. Of the dozens of schools that participated this 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 New Jersey. That number, along with funds raised by the other schools, was generously doubled by the Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation. 

Schools like yours can join us in our mission to reduce food waste and relieve hunger in New Jersey! We offer several school-focused programs, including:

Click here for more information about our school-based initiatives.

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. 

Related

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 

Every little bit counts.

Second-graders at Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia held a fresh produce drive for Table to Table recently. One by one students packed fresh apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, avocadoes, and other produce into boxes.

Slowly, the boxes filled up and by the end of the event, the students had donated hundreds of pounds of produce. Students also drew inspirational messages on the boxes urging people to donate more fruit and vegetables when they can.

A Table to Table volunteer brought the food to the Parent Teacher Association of the Fairmount School in Hackensack, where they distributed it.

It was the second time students at Anna C. Scott Elementary School hosted a produce drive for Table to Table.

Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently

Schools like yours can join us in our mission to reduce food waste and relieve hunger in New Jersey! We offer several school-focused programs, including:

Click here for more information about our school-based initiatives.

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. 

Related
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Table to Table's Volunteer Coordinator Stephanie Conley-Webb speaks to students at Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia. Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently
Students from Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia donated hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Table to Table recently

Hats off to our friends at Chatham Day School, who participated in a food audit led by our staff.

At lunchtime, students placed their food waste in the buckets to be weighed. At the end of each lunch period, students could see and better understand how food can easily be wasted. We had a great time and are grateful to the students, families, faculty and administrators for supporting our mission to reduce food waste and feed neighbors in need. Go Chatham Day School! 

Schools like yours can join us in our mission to reduce food waste and relieve hunger in New Jersey! We offer several school-focused programs, including:

Click here for more information about our school-based initiatives.

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:

Editor’s note: This op-ed was co-authored by Heather Thompson, Table to Table executive director, Helen Lanctuit, CEO of Share My Meals and co-chair of the Meal Recovery Coalition, and Allie Wilson, director of Northeast operations, FoodRecovery.org. It first appeared on binje.com.

Every day in New Jersey, thousands of pounds of perfectly good food are thrown away—not just scraps, but perfectly edible items and full, untouched meals. At the same time, nearly 1 million residents struggle with food insecurity.

This isn’t just a moral failure — it’s a policy gap. And it’s one we have the power to close.

Recently, The Meal Recovery Coalition had the opportunity to testify before the New Jersey Assembly’s Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee, sharing what we know to be true: New Jersey has the potential to lead the nation in tackling food waste and hunger—not just through community programs, but through bold, bipartisan legislation.

We’ve built a coalition of corporate partners, food service providers, hospitals, universities, and community organizations to recover healthy, prepared meals and deliver them to those who need them most. Without intervention, this nourishing food—sourced from distributors and supermarkets, cafeterias, commercial kitchens, and catering services — will never reach a plate. Instead, they’re headed straight to a landfill.

With the support of state leaders, we can change that. Right now, several bills moving through the legislature would dramatically improve New Jersey’s food recovery infrastructure:

These are smart, cost-effective steps. Research shows that every $1 invested in meal recovery yields $14 in public benefit—from avoided greenhouse gas emissions to reduced landfill use and improved public health. This is climate policy, health policy, and hunger policy in one.

We’ve seen what’s possible: our organizations alone have already recovered and redistributed enough food for millions of meals. But we’re just scratching the surface. With the right policies and partnerships in place, we could recover tens of millions more.

New Jersey can’t afford to waste another meal. We have the partners. We have the model. Now we need the momentum. Let’s make food recovery the norm across our state.

To learn more about how you, your organization, or your business can support or participate in food recovery — from donating surplus meals to partnering with local nonprofits — click here.

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:

Pantry Announces Partnership with Table to Table to Expand Food Access and Reduce Food Local Waste

Editor’s note: This excerpt about Table to Table’s new partnership with the Montville Kiwanis Food Pantry originally appeared on Montville Patch. Click here to read the entire story.

The Montville Kiwanis Food Pantry celebrates 15 years of dedicated community service today, April 25th. Marking this significant milestone, the pantry proudly announces a new partnership with Table to Table, Northern New Jersey’s pioneering food rescue organization. This collaboration, launched yesterday will enhance the pantry’s ability to combat food insecurity by providing weekly deliveries of rescued food, starting with breakfast items and baked goods from local Wawa stores.

This partnership represents a major step in the pantry’s ongoing mission to meet the increasing needs of the community through sustainable and cost-effective solutions. As demand for food assistance grows, this initiative will allow the pantry to expand its offerings without increasing operational costs. In March 2025 alone, the pantry supported 413 individuals across 133 visits, including welcoming 7 newly registered households, underscoring the urgency for innovative food sourcing.

“Heading into our 15th year of service, it’s more important than ever that we deepen our impact,” said Danielle Mangione-Vasser, Co-Director of the Montville Kiwanis Food Pantry. “This partnership with Table to Table allows us to expand food access, reduce waste, and better support the hundreds of individuals who count on us—without increasing our operating costs.”

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:

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