Editor’s note: This story originally aired on News 12 New Jersey. Click here for the story.
News 12 New Jersey ran a story about our food rescue partnership with the Bloomfield School District.
News 12 rode along with our Executive Director Heather Thompson as she rescued food from Watsessing Elementary School and brought it to a local food pantry.
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.
Editor’s note: Skip to the 35-minute mark for Heather Thompson’s interview.
The shutdown may be over, but the need remains.
The strain on the state’s emergency food system was felt across New Jersey during the 43-day federal government shutdown. Despite the shutdown ending, the need to support the system throughout the holiday season remains.
Table to Table Executive Director Heather Thompson spoke about the ongoing effect the shutdown had on the emergency food system and the 800,000 people it serves during a live interview on FOX 5 News in New York Monday.
“It’s important to recognize that just because the shutdown is over, the need is still present,” Thompson said. “It has been present. It unfortunately is a continuingly growing need.”
The effect of the seven-day funding halt of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was deeply felt in the Garden State.
“The impact of that was felt from multiple directions by so many of our neighbors,” Thompson said. “So they turned to their local food pantries for help. Those organizations that are really designed to be a last line of defense in general where can turn to bridge the [food] gap, all of a sudden, became a first line of defense. All of a sudden, people were relying on the support of these local pantries, these local community organizations because they simply had no where else to turn during that period of time.”
Giving Back This Holiday Season
Thompson encourages residents to reach out to their local food pantries to determine what they need.
“Every pantry is different, some have refrigerators, some don’t. Some need certain types of food depending on who they are feeding,” she said. “Reach out and see if they need extra help doing weekly distributions.”
Another tangible way to help is to volunteer with Table to Table. Volunteers can rescue healthy surplus food and deliver it to local community partners using the Table to Table I-Rescue App. Rescues take less than 1 hour and all the instructions are in the volunteer-driven app.
“Our volunteers by the end of the year will have rescued and delivered more than 2 million meals worth of fresh food, which is pretty incredible,” Thompson said.
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.
Thanksgiving is a time to slow down, reconnect with family and friends, and savor dishes that many of us don’t make the rest of the year.
The feelings of nostalgia surrounding this time of year can lead to overindulgence, but that doesn’t mean you need to eat that same plate of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce over and over.
If you are looking for new ways to enjoy your leftovers, look no further:
Stuffing Waffles
Spray your waffle maker well and place 1 cup of room-temperature stuffing in each section, close, and cook until crispy and browned
Top with leftover cranberry sauce or gravy and enjoy
Breakfast Burritos
Wrap turkey, stuffing, a couple scrambled eggs and a splash of gravy in a flour tortilla
Heat a pan over medium high heat and spray with a touch of oil
Lay burritos seam side down and let cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden, flip carefully and brown the top side
Enjoy dipped in extra cranberry sauce
Stuffing Strata
Stuffing Strata is the perfect morning after breakfast.
Before heading off to bed combine leftover stuffing with shredded turkey or ham any roasted veggies, eggs, & cream, and a healthy sprinkle of cheese.
Cover and let sit in the fridge overnight, then bake covered at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes for a hearty breakfast that everyone will love.
Potato Soup
Mashed potatoes almost never last in my house, but if you find yourself with extras, try making a pot of potato soup!
Bring your mashed potatoes to room temperature, then combine them in a pot with your choice of chicken or vegetable broth and whisk. Start with equal amounts of potatoes and broth, then thin until you find your desired consistency.
Serve with shredded cheddar, sliced scallions, maybe some crumbled bacon, and of course a turkey sandwich!
These are just a few ideas about transforming Thanksgiving leftovers into delicious meals! Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Editor’s note: Nicolle Walker is a volunteer with Table to Table and a member of our Emerging Leaders Council. She is the executive chef and owner of Love & Plates in Bloomfield, 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 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.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on TAPinto Bloomfield. Read the original article here.
In an inspiring collaboration aimed at addressing both food insecurity and environmental sustainability, the Bloomfield School District and Table to Table have launched a groundbreaking food rescue initiative. This partnership, the first of its kind in the district, focuses on rescuing surplus meals and snacks from 10 local schools and redistributing them to community food pantries, providing nourishment to those in need.
The initiative is part of Table to Table’s broader mission to reduce food waste and ensure that excess food is put to good use, rather than ending up in landfills. Using the organization’s I-Rescue App, volunteers are able to coordinate the pickup of leftover food from Bloomfield’s schools and deliver it to local pantries. In just a few short weeks since its launch, the partnership has already resulted in the rescue of enough food to provide over 7,000 meals — directly benefitting families, seniors, and others facing hunger in the community.
Heather Thompson, executive director of Table to Table, emphasized the importance of reducing food waste and alleviating hunger in New Jersey. “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,” said Thompson. “It’s especially inspiring to see our schools and students stepping up to help in this way, particularly as a Bloomfield resident and Franklin School parent myself.”
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.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on EssexNewsDaily.com. Read the original article here.
Table to Table, a food rescue organization, and the Bloomfield School District have joined forces to reduce food waste and feed those in need with the first ever district-wide food rescue partnership.
As part of the collaboration, surplus meals and snacks from 10 school cafeterias are being rescued weekly by volunteers, and delivered to local community pantries through Table to Table’s I-Rescue App.
“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,” said Heather Thompson, a Bloomfield native and executive director of Table to Table. “We work with food businesses of all types and sizes, but it’s especially inspiring to see our schools and students stepping up to help in this way, especially as a Bloomfield resident and Franklin School parent myself. Through our collaboration with the District, we’ve already rescued enough food for over 7,000 meals since our launch last month – and those meals and snacks go right to our neighbors in need.”
The participating Bloomfield Schools include Berkeley School; Bloomfield High School; Bloomfield Middle School; Brookdale School; Carteret School; Demarest School; Fairview School; Franklin School; Oak View School, and Watsessing School.
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.
Total Food Service interviewed Julie Kinner, Table to Table’s vice president of operations, for their Virtual Breakfast Session podcast that aired Oct. 26. Julie appeared on a panel where she discussed Table to Table’s 26-year mission with other food service professionals and sector leaders.
Also appeared on the panel were: Liz Neumark, CEO at Great Performances, founder of Katchke Farms, and the Sylvan Center, Dan Meiser, founder and CEO at 85th Day, co-owner of Stone Acre Farms and The Yellow Schoolhouse, Fred Klashman – Publisher at Total Food Service magazine and co-producer of the Virtual Breakfast Session podcast, and Larry Sashin, president of L. Sashin & Associates and creator and co-producer of the VBS.
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.
ReFED, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending loss and waste across the food ecosystem, and NielsenIQ, published their findings of a survey conducted in October.
A major reason for the waste is that more than 90 percent of Thanksgiving hosts intentionally prepare more food that is needed for their Thanksgiving gathering, according to ReFED. What is troubling is that nearly half of all hosts surveyed said they are not concerned about food waste around the holidays. Additionally, 12% of hosts, who feed 36 million people, according to the survey, do not plan to manage their leftovers in any specific way.
The breakdown of what is done with those leftovers covers a wide variety of options:
As New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue, Table to Table’s mission is to reduce food waste by rescuing nutritious food and deliver it to our food-insecure neighbors throughout northern New 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. Join us. Become a food rescue hero by downloading the Table to Table I-Rescue app. Claim a rescue, pick the food up, and deliver it to a local nonprofit. Most rescues take less than 1 hour.
I am writing to you on a truly somber note as the looming food insecurity crisis draws near. At this very moment, food pantries and emergency food providers across New Jersey are facing growing and unprecedented demand as the ongoing federal shutdown delays SNAP benefits. Based on what we know now, beginning on November 1 over 800,000 New Jersey residents –families with children; working folks like teachers and restaurant servers; senior citizens and veterans – will not have their SNAP cards filled until further notice.
As a result, lines at pantries are already growing longer by the day – and our 300+ community partners are reaching out to us every day, desperate for more fresh food to support the growing need.
Rescuing and delivering free, surplus food to communities in need is Table to Table’s core mission and daily work. And as need spikes in our communities, we are doubling down. Our drivers are working overtime, picking up surplus fresh food from farms, distributors, meal kit companies, and supermarkets. Our devoted ‘Food Rescue Hero’ volunteers are running rescues 7 days a week to pick up food from local markets, cafeterias, and restaurants, and delivering directly to nearby partners.
Everyone can play a role to rescue food and feed our neighbors during this time – including you.
Every single dollar you donate provides the resources to rescue and deliver food for another 10 meals. A donation of $344 funds a refrigerated truck and driver for a full day, rescuing enough fresh food for thousands of meals. If you are in a position to give, please know that your gift will go to work immediately to feed neighbors right here in New Jersey.
Connect with us to donate surplus food to community partners – we’ll pick up from your location for free, and safely deliver to a nearby pantry or shelter
If you’re planning to offer free food or meals for your neighbors during this time, we’re happy to help transport and distribute
“Nov. 1 is right around the corner, and over 800,000 New Jersey residents will not have their SNAP cards refilled,” said Heather Thompson, the group’s executive director. “This will impact working families, veterans, seniors, and children who rely on SNAP to get food on the table. Our pantry partners are telling us the lines are getting longer each day, and the full impact of the hold on SNAP funding hasn’t yet been felt.”
Thompson said Table to Table has been fielding daily calls from community partners requesting more food, particularly meat, produce and other perishable items.
“We’re working seven days a week to deliver as much free, fresh food as possible,” she said. “We’re stretched from a staffing perspective, but our team is doubling down. We’re asking food donors and volunteers to step up during this unprecedented strain our families and seniors.”
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.
