$218 billion worth of food – the equivalent of 130 billion meals – is wasted in the U.S. every year.
When costly, nutritious food is discarded, it contributes to poor health outcomes and drives economic and social inequality. Plus, food waste harms the environment by wasting resources and producing greenhouse gasses.
Making a Difference Honorees Working to End Food Waste in NJ
Adam Lowy
Learn more about Adam's mission in this interview with Lisa Marie Falbo, host of NJ Morning Show, ONNJ - On New Jersey
Transporting Excess Food to Those in Need
After seeing how much non-perishable food was left behind when people moved, Adam mobilized his family’s moving company to salvage excess food from customers and donate it to food banks. That led Adam to create Move for Hunger in 2009, a network of socially responsible relocation companies in all 50 states and Canada providing their customers, clients, and residents with the opportunity to donate their food when they move. In 2021, Move For Hunger launched its fresh food program, leveraging its vast network of transportation partners to rescue food from farms and other sources to communities in need. To date, the organization has delivered the equivalent of more than 40 million meals.
If one company could make this kind of impact, what could an entire network of moving companies do?
Adam Lowy, Founder, Move for Hunger
Gary Oppenheimer
Empowering Millions To Share Their Harvests
Gary developed a technology-driven response to ending food waste by creating an online directory that connects gardeners and farmers who have fresh produce to food pantries in their area. AmpleHarvest.org is at work in 5600 communities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. In 2022 he launched AmpleHarvest.org in Indian Country to work with Native American tribal elders and indigenous food sovereignty experts to meet the unique needs and challenges of their communities. This program enables Indigenous communities to get locally grown food that their tribe has historically grown and harvested. In addition, Faith Fights Food Waste is working with clergy of all faiths to raise awareness about food waste among their congregations through faith-specific sermons.
Read more about Gary’s mission and AmpleHarvest.org on our blog.
Claire Insalata Poulos
Bringing Nutritious Rescued Food to More Tables
Claire founded Table to Table in 1999; it is now recognized as one of the most effective and cost-efficient food rescue programs in the country. Table to Table has rescued over 109 tons of nutritious food—enough for nearly 311.3 million meals—and saved the equivalent of 73,000 tons of CO2. Their team collects fresh, nutritious, perishable food that would otherwise be wasted and deliver it free to organizations serving the hungry, the working poor, the elderly, and others across northern NJ—enough to serve more than 40 million meals a year for less than 10 cents each. Its innovative I-Rescue app enables more volunteers to help rescue and deliver fresh food more efficiently, delivering food within hours of pickup.
Phil Stafford
Learn about Phil and NJ Food & Clothing Rescue in this edition of Finding Faith with Sharon Crowley (October 2023)
Putting Superhuman Efforts into Food Rescue
Inspired by his own experience of devastating loss after a hurricane, Phil Stafford founded N.J. Food & Clothing Rescue in 2015. The organization rescues around one ton of food a week from supermarkets and redistributes it to the area’s most vulnerable populations. Phil’s nonstop hands-on work means N.J. Food & Clothing Rescue is always there for people during disasters and times of financial hardship. His small, dedicated team works with municipalities, churches, food pantries, and soup kitchens in multiple towns and counties. Phil’s goal is to create an interconnected network across New Jersey to help people in need and those experiencing a crisis, including the homeless, seniors, and veterans.
Rev. Stephen Rozzelle
Ending Food Waste With Curbside Pickups
Curbing Hunger started with a simple idea to end food waste: have Somerset County residents put nonperishable food items out on the curb with their recycling. Still active 30 years later, Curbing Hunger has provided over two million pounds of food for hungry people in local communities. Orange collection bags are distributed to households in May and June; people are encouraged to donate nonperishable foods and produce or purchase food that will be directly transported to the Food Bank Network at any time throughout the year. The orange bags are also available to fill up at community picnics and events, charter days, and farmer’s markets.
