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March 26, 2025 – Saddle Brook, NJ – Table to Table, New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue nonprofit, received a generous $25,000 grant from Avolta’s Journey for Good Foundation in support of its more than 25-year-old mission to reduce food waste and feed individuals and families facing food insecurity throughout northern New Jersey.

Journey For Good Foundation is the philanthropic arm in North America for Avolta, a leading global travel retail and food & beverage player. In the Summer of 2024, Table to Table launched an official partnership with Avolta to begin rescuing a range of food, including ‘grab and go’ sandwiches, salads, and snacks from numerous HMSHost and Hudson locations within Newark Liberty International Airport. This surplus, donated food is then delivered directly to pantries and social service organizations in Newark and surrounding communities, ensuring it reaches those who need it most while it is still fresh.

“Thank you, Journey For Good Foundation – we are incredibly grateful for your partnership. Through your support, Table to Table can keep more quality food out of landfills, and nourish even more children, families, seniors and veterans who struggle to put healthy meals on the table,” said Heather Thompson, Executive Director, Table to Table. “In fact, this incredible gift will provide resources for us to rescue and deliver enough food for approximately 250,000 nutritious meals.” Thompson concluded.

“On behalf of Journey For Good Foundation, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the thousands of passengers who, through their generosity, have made it possible for us to give back to communities across northern New Jersey,” said Journey For Good Foundation Director Jordan Silverman. “We are deeply humbled to support Table to Table’s work reducing food waste and ensuring that nutritious food reaches our neighbors who need it most.”

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.

About Journey For Good Foundation

Journey For Good Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to fight poverty in the local community with food, shelter, education, and workforce development. Prior to 2024, Journey For Good Foundation, Inc. operated as HMSHost Foundation, Inc. Journey For Good Foundation is a charitable arm of Avolta in North America and was established to unite and build upon HMSHost Foundation, Hudson, and Dufry’s charitable giving efforts. Charitable work carried out by Journey For Good Foundation is done based on pillars of giving:

·        Relieve hunger and promote nutritional wellness through food related initiatives;

·        Combat homelessness through access to safe housing, furnishings, clothing, and stable employment;

·        Encourage the next generation through access to education and training;

·        Provide opportunity for financial stability through hospitality industry training and placement;

·        Honor our veterans and their families by supporting programs that meet their needs for food, shelter, medical care, and job training and placement.

Visit https://journeyforgood.org/ for more information.

Related:

  • Table to Table, NJ’s First and Largest Food Rescue, Makes History by Partnering with HMSHost and Hudson at Newark Airport Stores to Pick Up Food Surplus

Table to Table teamed with one of its community partners Bessie Green Community Inc. for the event.

Two nonprofit organizations came together on Friday to make sure every New Jersey resident has access to nutritious food.

Table to Table and one of its community partners, Bessie Green Community Inc., joined forces to take unused food from Newark Liberty International Airport and donate that food to people in need.

News 12 has highlights from the distribution event.

Credit: News 12 New Jersey

Your New Jersey featured an interview with Table to Table Executive Director Heather Thompson. Heather discussed with Your New Jersey host Lisa Marie Falbo Table to Table’s mission of rescuing fresh, nutritious food for our hungry neighbors, our 25th Anniversary, and our upcoming Chefs Gala.

As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, Table to Table’s 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. This contributes 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.

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. This contributes to climate change. We deliver it to partner organizations who support the nearly 1 million people in our area who need it most.

Credit: Your New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11) — A new community food pantry has opened in Newark, providing not only canned goods, but fresh items, including meat and dairy.

“These community refrigerators are essentially accessible 24/7,” said Heather Thompson, Executive Director of Table to Table. “The beauty of the refrigerator is that it can stock those items that tend to be more expensive and more difficult for people to get.”

Credit: PIX11

Organizers say the refrigerator will help bring fresh food to those in need in the community.

An organization in Newark is hoping to address and reduce food insecurity with the installation of a new community refrigerator. The newest community refrigerator just opened at Hyatt Court.

All of the items inside are free for those in need in the community.

“It’s about getting the right food to the right communities at the right time and this model of community refrigerators that are accessible 24/7 for the neighbors right here is truly as good as it gets,” said Heather Thompson, the Executive Director for Table to Table. “This model allowed people to not have to worry about whether their work schedule is at the same time as this week’s distribution or whether they need to find child care, so they can go stand in line and wait for food. They can come get what they need when they need it.”

The refrigerator is a collaborative effort between the United Community Corporation, Table to Table, and the Hyatt Center of Hope.

There are seven community refrigerators in total – six of them in Newark and one in Maplewood. They provide around-the-clock access to staple goods such as milk, juice, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost to those in need.

“It’s an opportunity for people in the community to get access to this food a couple of times a week without pay, as long as it is available. Especially with the high cost of living and the high cost of groceries, the high cost of rent – the high cost of everything in this country, in this state,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “This makes this incredibly important now than any other time.”

The Community Refrigerator at Hyatt Court will be stocked by Table to Table on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Credit: News 12 New Jersey

The New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative has compiled a list of farmers markets across New Jersey that are authorized to accept state SNAP and EBT benefits. Currently, less than 1/10th of 1% of SNAP benefits are redeemed at Farmers Markets, the FDC stated.

Table to Table regularly delivers rescued and donated food to area markets in Newark that serve their communities, but do not accept SNAP/EBT benefits.

  • Bessie Green Community Fresh Produce Market
  • ICC Cortland Street-Fresh Produce Market
  • Senior Market (Grace West, Villa Victoria)

The Farmers Markets accepting SNAP/EBT benefits located in Table to Table’s service area of Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, and Essex counties are:

Bergen County:

Essex County:

  • Ironbound Community Farmers Market/Down Bottom Farms, 371 Ferry St., Newark; Tuesdays, 2 – 7 pm
  • Montclair Community Farms, 1088 Orange Road, Montclair; Mondays, June 17 – Oct. 28, 10 am – noon and 12:30 – 2 pm
  • The Beth Greenhouse Farmers Market, 201 Lyons Ave., Newark; Thursdays, June – November, 11 am – 3 pm
  • Steam Urban Artisan Farmers Market, 179 Broadway, Newark
  • South Orange Downtown Farmers Market, 12 Sloan St., South Orange; Wednesdays until Oct. 30, 2 – 7 pm

Hudson County:

  • Historic Downtown Farmers Market, Grove Street South Path Plaza, Jersey City; Mondays and Thursdays, 3 – 7 pm
  • Riverview Farmers Market, 1 Bowers St., Jersey City; Sundays 10 am – 2 pm until Nov. 24

Passaic County:

  • City Green Farm Eco-Center, 171 Grove St., Clifton; Fridays 10 am – 2 pm and Wednesdays 3 – 6 pm until Nov. 15
  • Little Falls Farmers Market, Municipal Building, 225 Main St., Little Falls; Sundays 9 am – 2 pm until Oct. 27

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 homes and make a positive impact on the planet. Every little bit of effort — no matter how small — leads to change.  

Related: