Inside Table to Table’s Skills-Based Volunteering Project with Novartis

When you think of a hero, you might picture someone in a cape. But at Table to Table, heroes come in all forms. Some drive minivans full of food, and some are retirees with a little extra time. In this spotlight, we sat down with Stephanie Conley-Webb, volunteer manager at Table to Table, to hear how her organization is tackling hunger across New Jersey through creative food rescue strategies and community partnerships.

Stephanie shares powerful stories that show the impact of Table to Table’s work. She also reflects on how Table to Table leveled up its volunteer program after participating in a skills-based volunteering (SBV) project with Novartis and Common Impact. The insights they gained about storytelling, inclusion, and how a simple name change can spark big engagement are already making a difference.

The different perspectives from people of various backgrounds and skills are exactly what we needed. Their time, feedback, and insights have been invaluable.

What is Table to Table’s mission, and how does your role as volunteer manager support that mission?

Table to Table is New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue organization. We are dedicated to serving our neighbors by rescuing fresh, nutritious food from over 373 donors and delivering it to 300+ recipient agencies. We accomplish this in two ways: through our fleet of six refrigerated trucks that hit the road daily, collecting surplus food from supermarket chains and warehouses, and for smaller food pick-ups we rely on our volunteer-powered app, I-Rescue. Within hours, that food reaches recipient agencies, ensuring it stays as fresh as possible for those who need it.

We’re celebrating 26 years of impact this year and know we can always do more. In 2021, we realized that sending a 26-foot refrigerated truck to pick up a few pizzas from a local pizzeria wasn’t the best use of resources. That’s when we partnered with a food rescue app, launching our I-Rescue program. What started as a way to recover a few hundred thousand pounds of food quickly grew. In 2024 alone, we rescued over 1.8 million pounds of food that would have otherwise gone to waste through the app. Today, thanks to I-Rescue and the support of our amazing volunteers, we recover surplus food from local restaurants, grocery stores, caterers, and corporate and school cafeterias, among many others.

As our organization grew, so did our need for a dedicated role to support the volunteers who made this work possible. That’s where I come in as the volunteer manager. Since stepping into this position, I’ve had the privilege of shaping our volunteer program, especially for our I-Rescue volunteers. I connect with them regularly, ensuring their experience is fulfilling, impactful, and tied to our mission.

Can you share a story highlighting the impact of Table to Table on the community?

One of my favorite parts of my job is that we’ve recently expanded into working with schools, and two have blown me away with the impact they’ve made.

In 2024, we partnered with Anna C. Scott School in Leonia to create a meaningful project within their school. The second-grade staff and students organized a fresh produce drive, and it became one of our most successful food drives because of its scale. The entire second grade worked together to collect beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables. They even decorated the boxes the food was presented in, adding a personal, creative touch. It demonstrated thoughtfulness to those neighbors who received it. On top of that, the students wrote letters to restaurants in their community, encouraging them to partner with us and support our mission. Their call to action made a huge impact.

Most recently, we partnered with Willard Elementary School for their annual service day. I gave a presentation, and then we worked together in their distribution lab to assemble food packages.

Our original delivery plans fell through that morning because the recipient organization couldn’t accept the food, so we had to pivot quickly. Fortunately, a senior center was about five minutes from the school, so we redirected the food there. That week, a major snowstorm hit just as the senior center was expecting their food delivery. Thanks to the early delivery from Table to Table, they had enough supplies to stay stocked and even hold an emergency distribution for residents.

These stories perfectly illustrate our mission in action and its deep connection to the community. Our fast-turnaround food rescues ensure that donations stay local. The food is collected from nearby food donors and quickly delivered to those who need it most. It’s grassroots hunger relief at its best.

You participated in the Novartis skills-based volunteering in 2024. What challenge did Table to Table bring to the event?

For that project, our primary focus was expanding our I-Rescue volunteer base and improving long-term engagement, particularly retaining volunteers for weekday shifts. The second part of our challenge was reaching new communities, especially senior citizens and retirees, to help fill weekday coverage gaps. We saw strong potential in these groups and wanted to explore effective strategies to recruit, onboard, and engage them in ways that leveraged their unique skills and availability.

What were some of the key recommendations the volunteers provided? Any insights or strategies that stood out as particularly valuable?

A few key ideas stood out. First, they emphasized strategic partnerships such as collaborating with high schools, universities, and senior centers to the volunteers, which we’ve explored before but now see as an area to focus on more intentionally.

Another big insight was the power of storytelling. In addition to using data and impact graphics, they recommended featuring personal stories. Stories that highlight what it means to receive food, to be a donor, or to volunteer. That human connection can be more compelling than numbers alone. One suggestion that really resonated with me was changing how we recognize volunteers. We previously had a “Volunteer of the Month” feature, but the feedback was that the language could feel exclusive, as if one person were being singled out over others. Instead, we switched to using “Volunteer Spotlights.”

For example, we partnered with a sorority at Seton Hall University that does regular food rescues, so they became a spotlight. We also recognized a volunteer who started a food rescue in their hometown, which helped us expand in an area where we previously struggled to recruit donors and volunteers.

Another small but meaningful change was shifting how we refer to volunteers. Instead of calling them volunteers, we now use “Food Rescue Heroes.” It gives a stronger sense of purpose and reinforces the impact of their work. Since implementing these ideas, we’ve received great feedback. Volunteers feel more connected to our mission and each other, which is our ultimate goal.

Since the event, what else has Table to Table been able to implement from the volunteer recommendations?

Right after that meeting with the volunteers, we implemented the language change, and it had a big impact. For example, when we had unclaimed rescues, I used to send emails listing the available rescues. Now, I address volunteers as “Food Rescue Heroes” and frame the email as a call to action: “Hey, Food Rescue Heroes! We need your help to save these food rescues.” It’s more engaging and personal. I also include the real-world impact by reminding them that unclaimed rescues mean wasted food and hungry families. That shift has made a real difference in volunteer response.

Beyond that, we’ve extended the “Food Rescue Hero” concept to schools, especially elementary students. When students donate or participate, they become heroes, too. They love it! We even worked with a school to hold a contest where students designed their hero badges. It’s been a fun and meaningful way to engage them. Even for adults, it’s powerful. Being called a hero makes people feel connected to something bigger. This all stemmed from our conversation with the Novartis volunteers, and I can’t thank them enough. Their time, feedback, and insights have been invaluable. The different perspectives from people of various backgrounds and skills are exactly what we needed. I welcome you to join us as a Food Rescue Hero. You can participate on your own, with your school, company, church or family.

You can reach out to me directly or visit tabletotable.org/volunteer