March 4, 2026 – Saddle Brook, NJ – Table to Table, New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue organization, and the Ridgewood Public School District have joined forces to reduce food waste and feed those in need for Bergen County’s first district-wide food rescue relationship. As part of the collaboration, nourishing surplus meals and snacks from seven school cafeterias are collected from each of the schools by Pomptonian Food Service, the district’s food service company, rescued by local volunteers, and delivered to Ridgecrest Senior Apartments through Table to Table’s I-Rescue App. A total of 132 food rescues have been completed from October to the present, garnering more than 10,074 pounds of nutritious food.
“The impact that the Ridgewood School District is making for our neighbors in need as well as our planet is nothing short of amazing, and we are overjoyed to be joining forces,” said Heather Thompson, Executive Director, Table to Table. “Nearly 3 billion pounds of food is wasted annually in New Jersey while almost 1.1 million people in our state, including 270,000 children, face hunger. Table to Table offers a solution that keeps good, nourishing food out of landfills, and ensures it reaches the dinner tables of families, senior citizens, and other folks facing food insecurity – and we are thankful that the Ridgewood Schools are joining us in our mission,” Thompson concludes.
“Our connection with Table to Table is a vital part of our commitment to a greener, more supportive Ridgewood,” said Dr. Mark Schwarz, Superintendent of Schools. “We are proud of this shared mission to eliminate food waste in our cafeterias and redirect those resources to those in need. It’s a powerful lesson for our students: when we work together, we can turn a logistical challenge into a community solution.”
“Members of our Home and School Associations, Green Teams, and Sustainability Committee are honored to join forces with Table to Table,” said Julie Yohana, Supervisor of Transportation & Operations. “This initiative, beginning with our cafeteria surplus, is designed to ignite a spark in the Ridgewood Public Schools community, driving us to discover new, creative ways to fight food insecurity.”
Learn how to volunteer in picking up surplus food from the Ridgewood Schools and delivering it to local pantries.
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 over 300 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 from impacting the environment.
About Ridgewood Public Schools
The Ridgewood Public School District is a premier K-12 public education system located in Bergen County, New Jersey, dedicated to providing a rigorous and supportive learning environment for its approximately 5,500 students. Consistently ranked among the top districts in the state and nation, Ridgewood is committed to academic excellence, innovative instruction, and the holistic development of every child. Through a diverse curriculum, robust extracurricular offerings, and a strong focus on social-emotional learning, the district empowers students to become lifelong learners and responsible global citizens. Ridgewood Public Schools prides itself on a culture of collaboration, involving dedicated educators, engaged parents, and a supportive community.
For more information, please visit www.rpsnj.us or follow the district on social media.
