This holiday season and beyond, Table to Table, a community-based food rescue program, is making sure North Jersey community partners are able to feed those in need, while also limiting food waste.

The program is tackling food insecurity in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties and partners with over 400 different food businesses.

"And we deliver that food directly to a network of about 300 different community non-profit partners,” said Table to Table executive director Heather Thompson.

It's a singular solution to two significant problems. Those in need get access to nutritious, ready-to-eat options while limiting waste.

"Which creates positive climate impact,” said Thompson. “Keeping that food out of landfills reduces methane, reduces carbon gases.”

School collections are a fairly new addition, like at Watsessing Elementary School.

"Where food is being wasted, maybe in less quantities, but it's still good food that should be feeding people,” said Thompson.

"Any lunches that we have left over from those days, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we give those to the Table to Table volunteers and they take them to local food pantries,” said Watsessing Elementary School Principal Shamshadeen Mayers.

Mayers said his school helps all year, with the hope that it teaches students to give back to their community. News 12 tagged along with the program's executive director for a route to multiple schools, which would normally be done by volunteers through the free Table to Table I-Rescue app.

After pickup, the volunteer then transports the accumulated bags to the assigned pantry manager, relying on the delivery. Mini salads, turkey meals and quesadillas were on the receiving end today.

"Our guests are working; they're very, very busy,” said Mike Post, the pantry manager. “So, to be able to have something like this that they can just grab and heat up without having to cook, at least not extensive cooking. It's a huge asset for them.”

Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up directly on the phone app, with opportunities to do a recurring food pick up and drop off, or sign up for a one-time route.