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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.

Brendan O’Byrne is the subject of Table to Table’s most recent volunteer spotlight.

“One of my best friends is on the Table to Table Board of Directors, David Hildes, and we go to a lot of Table to Table Chefs Galas together. I just retired and I told him that it was my time to pay him back for all the times he’s invited my wife and I to be at his table.”

Volunteering Like Brendan 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 Brendan 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.

The New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) has published the New Jersey Food Security Strategic Plan.

The three-year plan outlines how the OFSA plans to coordinate statewide efforts to address the growing problem of food insecurity in New Jersey through a coordinated, cross-sector approach.

NJ_FoodSecurity_3Yr_StrategicPlan_010726_FINAL

“This is not a plan that tells New Jersey what to do. Rather, this is a plan that invites all New Jerseyans to see their food security work and everyday connection to the food system through a more holistic lens that acknowledges food insecurity as a highly complex, socio-economic issue,” said Mark Dinglasan, Executive Director of the OFSA. “This is the beginning of a journey to build a better tomorrow for New Jersey families.”

The plan has several focus areas:

Focus Areas
  • The Context of Food Security in New Jersey: This focus enhances and improves the exchange of information and access to improve the public’s awareness of food insecurity, optimize relief programs, and support data-driven decision-making.
  • Planning and Evidence: This describes the guiding principles, data, and evidence that informed the plan and explores the Six Dimensions of Food Security in New Jersey.
  • Strategic Direction: Outlines the plans focus areas and strategies, which help form a roadmap for advancing food security throughout New Jersey.
  • Accountability and Action: Defines what success looks like for the strategic plan and invites partners to use the plan as a call to action to help coordinate efforts statewide.
  • Strengthening Food Systems to Enhance Long-Term Stability: Includes improving the food supply chain to reduce food waste and enhance food security stability and sustainability, including sustainable farming practices and positioning food security efforts in climate action work.

The OFSA will be releasing a Implementation Tactics and Action Planning Toolkit in early 2026. This will provide guidance and practical tools for organizations to implement relevant strategies in their communities.

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, surplus food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills. This rotting food emits methane gas, which contributes to climate change. We deliver this food to partner organizations who support the nearly 1.1 million people struggling with food insecurity in New Jersey.

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.

Related:

Organizers of the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy are doing what they can to recover 100% of surplus food served in the Olympic Village and distribute it to vulnerable people. They are dedicated to a “zero food waste” approach.

This approach includes recovering surplus food to fight hunger and promote environmental sustainability, in accordance with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Four Betters approach, which is part of the UN’s Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

Food waste mitigation efforts were supported when more than 270 local mayors signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact in 2015 along with other local initiatives designed to support combatting food waste in and near the cities hosting the games, a story on Olympics.com reported.

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, surplus food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills. This rotting food emits methane gas, which contributes to climate change. We deliver this food to partner organizations who support the nearly 1.1 million people struggling with food insecurity in New Jersey.

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.

Related:

When LaToya talks about her children, her face lights up with love and determination. Her son, Sterling, is 22 and living with sickle cell disease, autism, and epilepsy. Her daughter, Praise, is 12, full of energy and potential. Like any mother, LaToya wants the best for her children. But the challenges of caring for her son’s complex needs while keeping food on the table are overwhelming — especially because Sterling requires a highly nutritious diet to keep his health stable.

The nourishing food LaToya receives from Table to Table is more than just groceries. It’s a lifeline. It means she can provide her children with healthy meals she otherwise could not afford. It means she can take a breath in the middle of her hectic days, knowing she has what her family needs to get through the week.

“When we get food from Table to Table, we always get a lot of healthy vegetables & fruits. It means nourishment. It means health,” LaToya said.

Read more about what we’re doing to rescue healthy surplus food into sustenance and deliver it to our hungry neighbors.

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, surplus food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills. This rotting food emits methane gas, which contributes to climate change. We deliver this food to partner organizations who support the nearly 1.1 million people struggling with food insecurity in New Jersey.

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.

Related:

What foods are heart healthy? February is American Heart Month. It is a month dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Table to Table takes pride in rescuing fresh, nutritious heart-healthy fruits and vegetables, including apples, broccoli, and carrots from our hundreds of food donors.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the following foods are a part of a heart-healthy eating plan:

  • Vegetables such as leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, cabbage), broccoli, and carrots
  • Fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears, grapes, and prunes
  • Whole grains such as plain oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-grain bread or tortillas
  • Fat-free or low-fat dairy foods such as milk, cheese, or yogurt
  • Protein-rich foods:
  • Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, and trout)
  • Lean meats such as 95% lean ground beef or pork tenderloin or skinless chicken or turkey
  • Eggs
  • Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and pine nuts
  • Seeds
  • Nut and seed butters
  • Legumes such as kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lima beans
  • Oils and foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats:
  • Canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, sunflower, and soybean oils (not coconut or palm oil)
  • Salmon and trout
  • Seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, or flax)
  • Avocados
  • Tofu

Read more about what we’re doing to rescue healthy surplus food and deliver it to our hungry neighbors.

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, surplus food annually that would otherwise be wasted and end up in landfills. This rotting food emits methane gas, which contributes to climate change. We deliver this food to partner organizations who support the nearly 1.1 million people struggling with food insecurity in New Jersey.

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.

Related:

Food insecurity in New Jersey is increasing, with one in 10 households experiencing the status between 2022 and 2024, a new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released recently shows.

“Household Food Security in the United States in 2024” provides state-level food insecurity prevalence rates, averaging data from 2022, 2023, and 2024. The New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (NJOFSA) featured New Jersey-centric findings of the report on its website.

According to the report, between 2022 and 2024:

  • One in 10 households, 9.8%, or about 350,000, experienced food insecurity in New Jersey, an increase from the 8.3% reported in 2019-2022
  • New Jersey recorded the fifth lowest prevalence of household food insecurity in the United States

Although New Jersey’s 9.8% rate of food insecurity is below the national average of 13.3%, “any amount, and increases to, food insecurity is unsuitable for a state with our strong resources, partnerships, and commitment to ensuring food security for all,” the NJOFSA said in an update on its website.

What Is Food Insecurity?

There are two classifications of food insecurity, according to the USDA. One type is when there are “reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet,” but there is “little or no indication of reduced food intake.” The other, more serious type, is when there are “reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.”

The USDA published its food security report for 30 years before announcing that the 2025 report would be its last one, calling the report and study behind it, “redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous.” It was originally created to support the increase and eligibility of families and individuals to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.

The NJOFSA said the report served as an “essential public resource for tracking trends and evaluating progress in food security,” providing the “most consistent national and state level data on household food insecurity.

“It grounds research, informs policy decisions, and helps advocates, agencies, and communities identify where people may struggle to afford enough food.”

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.

Related:

Kaleb Lohmann is Table to Table’s December Volunteer Spotlight.

“Food waste while people go hungry in the richest nation in the world is senseless and cruel. I’ve always wanted to help ease suffering in the world, but depression, anxiety, and other health issues stopped me from committing long-term. The Table to Table I-Rescue App is extremely convenient and lets you volunteer in short time frames when and where you want to, like UberEats for those in need. It’s so easy that I’ve been able to complete over 100 rescues in 13 months,” Kaleb said. “Volunteering eases food insecurity, reduces landfill waste and emissions, combats the helplessness so often felt when reading the news, and helps me gain confidence for future employment. It has truly changed my life over the past year, and I couldn’t be more grateful!”

Volunteering Like Kaleb 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 Kaleb 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 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.

Food security exists when all people, at all times have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Why food insecurity occurs is an issue with no easy answer, but the response to it is one that has fueled our 26-year mission: People need regular access to healthy, nutritious food.

The problem of food insecurity in New Jersey is a complex issue. Estimates are that nearly 3 billion pounds of food are wasted annually in the Garden State while 1.1 million residents, including 270,000 children, experience food insecurity. Determining the root causes of this widespread issue is also complex.

The New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) partnered with the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact to develop and implement a set of measures framed around the six dimensions of food security: Stability, utilization, access, agency, availability, and sustainability. OFSA recently published a report outlining what it found to be the reasons why food insecurity occurs. This data collection initiative informs the OFSA’s strategic planning efforts to ultimately guide cross-sector collaboration and policy development regarding food insecurity throughout New Jersey. Also, findings can serve as a baseline from which future progress can be measured.

The full report is embedded here:

Exploring-the-Six-Dimensions-of-Food-Security-in-New-Jersey_October-2025

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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