Table to Table

Every year in Israel, millions of pounds of excess prepared and perishable food are thrown in the garbage. Table to Table was founded in January 2003 to ensure that excess food isn’t wasted, but rather ends up at its proper destination: people in need. Serving as Israel’s umbrella organization for the donation of surplus food, Table to Table collects excess, unsold food from catered events, corporate cafeterias, army bases, food manufacturers, bakeries, farms and packing houses and delivers the food to non-profit organizations throughout Israel that serve those in need. Since its inception, Table to Table has grown from a one-person campaign to an operation with a team of tens of thousands of volunteers, and a staff of 15 full-time employees. With the help of these well-organized and highly motivated individuals, Table to Table has grown into Israel’s central destination for the donation and distribution of excess food. Every week, Table to Table rescues and distributes tens of thousands of fresh meals, tons of fruits and vegetables, and tens of thousands of fresh products. Table to Table supplies the food it collects to non-profit agencies throughout Israel, including food banks, homeless shelters, afternoon-clubs for youth, seniors’ residences, battered-women’s shelters, meals-on-wheels programs, and more. Through Project Reach Out (PRO), Table to Table places an emphasis on aiding agencies in periphery communities, some of the most economically challenged cities in Israel, such as Givat Olga, Kiryat Malachi, and Sderot. Table to Table collects excess food by day and night, throughout Israel. Among our projects: Night-time Food Rescue Hundreds of committed Table to Table volunteers pick up excess, unsold food from catered events during the late evening hours. They immediately transport the food to one of Table to Table’s partner agencies within close range of the pick-up area, or to our refrigerated warehouse in Ra’anana for delivery to agencies the following morning. Table to Table currently collects food from between 100 to 200 events per week, from event halls throughout Israel. Our volunteers are male and female, religious and secular and many are new immigrants to Israel. Collection of Excess Food from Corporate Cafeterias and Army Bases During the day-time, Table to Table’s refrigerated trucks collect excess food from corporate cafeterias and army bases throughout Israel, rescuing tens of thousands of meals weekly. Grade “B” Fruit and Vegetables from Farmers and Packing Houses The typical Israeli farmer and packing house only sells 75-80% of the fruits and vegetables they grow. 20-25% of the produce falls into the category of “Grade B”, meaning that the produce is not presentable enough for sale but fit for eating. Until Table to Table came along, most farmers and packing houses would throw this produce away. Now, Table to Table collects the fresh produce, and distributes it to its non-profit partner agencies. Project Leket: Fruit Picking for Israel’s Needy Thousands of Israeli farmers decide, usually for economic reasons, not to harvest all of their produce during the harvest season. In the past, all of this fruit – thousands of tons yearly – would have been left to rot and gone to waste. Through Project Leket, Table to Table enters into the fields of consenting farmers with groups of volunteers to pick and gather all the fruit and vegetables not harvested. Every years, tens of thousands of volunteers from across the globe participate in Project Leket, rescuing every year over 1,000,000 pounds of produce. Excess Food from Manufacturers