Government, corporate and nonprofit leaders from across the state met at the Food Bank of South Jersey this summer to finalize guidelines being distributed to health departments statewide.
The Food Bank of South Jersey and the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) have named the Meal Recovery Coalition (MRC) – a statewide initiative led by nonprofit Share My Meals to reduce food waste and address hunger – their first nonprofit partner.
Together, TASK and the Food Bank bring decades of expertise and trusted community connections to the coalition. Both organizations have already been dedicated participants in the coalition’s Alignment on Standards project. Their formal membership strengthens the coalition’s ability to connect surplus meals with needy families while advancing a sustainable state-wide model.
“TASK is a cornerstone of community care in New Jersey,” said Hélène Lanctuit, CEO of Share My Meals and co-chair of the Meal Recovery Coalition. “And the Food Bank of South Jersey has been a pillar of hope across South Jersey for 40 years. Their decision to join the coalition reflects the growing recognition that meal recovery must be paired with trusted organizations who know their neighbors and can deliver not only food, but dignity and opportunity.
“With the support of sponsors like Campbell’s Soup and Sanofi,” she added, “we are building a system that ensures no good meal goes to waste.”
Founded in 1982, TASK has served the Greater Mercer County community for more than four decades. In the past year alone, it has provided approximately 630,000 free, freshly-prepared meals – the most in its history.
The Food Bank of South Jersey has been a lifeline for Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties since 1985. In 2024, it distributed more than 19.5 million meals through its direct distributions and network of more than 300 community partners. It also offers nutrition and wellness programs and collaborates on sustainable solutions to strengthen communities.
“The Food Bank of South Jersey has always believed that no one should go to bed hungry,” said Lavinia Awosanya, its chief development officer. “Joining the Meal Recovery Coalition is a powerful step toward that vision, strengthening our commitment to ensuring good food never goes to waste and, instead, reaches the neighbors who need it most.”
Each year, more than five million prepared meals go to waste in New Jersey. By connecting the expertise of nonprofit leaders like TASK and the Food Bank with the resources of corporate, health-care, academic and government partners, the coalition is recovering those meals and delivering them where they are needed most.
Share My Meals is a New Jersey-based nonprofit that reduces food waste and addresses food insecurity through sustainable meal recovery solutions. In 2024, it launched the coalition to coordinate and expand these efforts across the state, bringing together corporations, food donors, nonprofits, volunteers and government partners to build a scalable model that ensures surplus meals reach people, not landfills.
