FIGHTING FOOD INSECURITY: Share My Meals and Princeton Public Schools are making sure surplus meals from the schools are going to Princeton residents in need. From left are Peter Torino, Pomptonian Food Service manager; Shannon Barlow, PPS food systems literacy coordinator; and Tracy Hart, Pomptonian operations manager. (Photo by Krista Galyon)

By Anne Levin

Share My Meals (SMM), the Princeton-based nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity and reducing food waste, has formed a new partnership with Princeton Public Schools (PPS).

The collaboration allows for surplus prepared meals from the district’s schools to be safely recovered and redistributed to families and residents in Princeton on a weekly basis. The first deliveries were made on January 10.

This is SMM’s second collaboration with a K-12 public school district, and its second with Pomptonian Food Service, the PPS’ food service provider. It follows a successful initiative with the Morris School District.

“Partnerships like this highlight the importance of community-driven solutions,” said Meg Lembo, director of outreach of Share My Meals, in a release. “We’re thrilled to partner with Princeton Public Schools and Pomptonian Food Service to create meaningful change right here in Princeton.”

According to SMM, approximately 10 percent of Mercer County residents face food insecurity.

“At the same time, in cafeteria settings where food is prepared at high volume, there is often some unavoidable food surplus that goes to waste due to various constraints,” reads the release. “By redistributing surplus meals, Share My Meals and its partners address both issues simultaneously.”

This program also reduces the environmental impact of food waste. SMM hopes to expand this model to additional school districts in New Jersey and beyond.

SMM was founded in January 2020. When the pandemic hit two months later, the nonprofit switched from its original premise of recovering meals from corporations to buying meals at cost from local restaurants and delivering them to families and seniors who needed them. Assisting the effort was the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), which last summer awarded SMM $125,000 to establish a statewide Meal Recovery Coalition.

The partnership with the schools also reduces the environmental impact of food waste. SMM hopes to expand this model to additional school districts in New Jersey and beyond.

“Collaborating with Share My Meals aligns perfectly with our goals of sustainability and community support,” said Shannon Barlow, PPS food systems literacy coordinator. “By donating our surplus meals, we’re not only reducing food waste but also ensuring that students and families in our community have access to nutritious food.”

Candy Vidovich, CEO of Pomptonian Food Service, said the company promotes health and well-being through its programs.

“Partnering with Share My Meals and Princeton Public Schools allows us to extend that mission beyond the cafeteria, directly impacting families in need and supporting our shared commitment to sustainability,” she said.