Ridgewood Schools, Volunteers 'Rescue' Cafeteria Food For Neighbors

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Left-over cafeteria food in Ridgewood will now go to feed the needy.

The Ridgewood Public School District and Table to Table launched a collaboration late last year to take surplus school cafeteria food and give it to area residents in need.

It's the first district-wide food rescue initiative in Bergen County.

Between October and early this month, the program has completed 132 food rescues, said a district spokesperson last week.

The program involves collecting surplus meals and snacks from seven school cafeterias..

“We are proud of this shared mission to eliminate food waste in our cafeterias and redirect those resources to those in need," said Superintendent of Schools Mark Schwartz. "It’s a powerful lesson for our students: when we work together, we can turn a logistical challenge into a community solution."

Pomptonian Food Service, the district food service provider, collects the food. Then local volunteers then use the Table to Table I-Rescue App to take the food to nearby senior apartments.

The efforts successfully diverted more than 10,074 pounds of nutritious food from landfills, the district said.

Heather Thompson, Executive Director of Table to Table, praised the partnership for its dual focus on hunger and environmental impact.

Residents interested in supporting the program can learn more about volunteer opportunities for food pickups and deliveries through the Table to Table website.