Princeton Schools, Nonprofit Partner To Deliver Surplus Meals To Local Families

PRINCETON, NJ – Princeton Public Schools (PPS) has partnered with local nonprofit Share My Meals (SMM) to fight food insecurity by delivering surplus meals to local families in need, the district announced Thursday.

All surplus prepared meals from the district’s schools are now being safely recovered and redistributed to families and residents in Princeton on a weekly basis.

The first pickup took place on Friday, Jan. 10, marking the beginning of this initiative, district officials said.

This partnership is made possible through the dedicated efforts of the Princeton School District and Pomptonian Food Service, the district’s food service provider.

The partnership with PPS and is SMM’s second with a K-12 public school district and its second Pomptonian account, following a successful initiative with the Morris School District.

This initiative also creates a sustainable solution that benefits the entire community.

“Partnerships like this highlight the importance of community-driven solutions,” Meg Lembo, Director of Outreach of Share My Meals, said in a statement.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Princeton Public Schools and Pomptonian Food Service to create meaningful change right here in Princeton.”

In Mercer County, around 10 percent of the population faces 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.

By redistributing surplus meals, Share My Meals and its partners address both issues simultaneously.

This program not only supports the nutritional needs of local families but also reduces the environmental impact of food waste.

“Collaborating with Share My Meals aligns perfectly with our goals of sustainability and community support,” Shannon Barlow, Food Systems Literacy Coordinator at PPS said in a statement. "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.”

District officials noted that this collaboration sets an example of how schools, nonprofits, and food service providers can work together to combat food insecurity and reduce waste.

As the program grows, Share My Meals hopes to expand this model to other school districts, creating a broader network of meal recovery efforts across New Jersey and beyond.

“At Pomptonian, we strive to promote health and well-being through our innovative food service programs,” Candy Vidovich, CEO of Pomptonian Food Service, said. "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.”

Share My Meals is a nonprofit organization based in Princeton, NJ, that was founded in January 2020. They are active across New Jersey, dedicated to addressing food insecurity and the environmental impact of food waste by recovering and delivering healthy prepared meals to local communities.

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