At Bruegger's Bagels on Neil in Columbus' University District, the baker says it's not always easy to bake just enough to meet the customer need.

It's really hard to predict sometimes," says baker Lucas Dillehay. "If we have an event and we think there are going to be a lot of people that come in...but they don't, then you have a lot of bagels left over."

And Dillehay says those leftover bagels used to end up in the trash. 

"Anywhere from, like, 50 bagels to 200 bagels depending on what the day was," said Dillehay. "So, definitely a lot of waste."

Bruegger's began to work with Food Rescue US, who now takes those extra bagels. The nationwide organization with reps in major cities across Ohio says they're on a mission to make sure extra, useable food from restaurants avoids the landfill and makes it to those who need it - the 15% of Ohioans living with food insecurity. 

"They don't know where their next meal is coming from," says Columbus Site Director for Food Rescue US Susan Keiser-Smith. "And, to get some good healthy food that otherwise would be wasted is a good thing to do."

We followed Keiser and her intern Erika Burwinkel as they "rescued" bagels picked up from Bruegger's and immediately took them to Saint Sophia's Syrian Orthodox Church and soup kitchen just a few minutes away. The Archbishop of the church and refuge on E. 9th St. and Indianola says he sees the need in the community every day

It's extremely important for them to be able to supplement their food," says Archbishop Mor Cassianus of St. Sophia's Syrian Orthodox Church. "And, for people living outside, and we have an ever increasing homeless population here, they have to eat every day."

Food Rescue US partners with about 60 local restaurants, farmer's markets and other food providers. They say they need more partners to not only donate food, but locations to receive it. The group says they've already made a big impact.

"So this year alone we have donated 1.4 million pounds of food," says Grant Writing Intern for Food Rescue US Erika Burwinkel. "Since we started in 2012, we donated 6.5 million pounds of food. Which means that useable food has been saved from a landfill and fed to someone that needs it."

And at Bruegger's, they can now say that those left over bagels find a better home.

"Now when people ask us about them we can tell them about Food Rescue, about what they do and about how they're helping the community," says Dillehay. "It's just a good feeling all around to know that we're not just walking outside and dumping them."

Until New Year's Eve, Hot Chicken Takeover and Mikey's Late Night Slice are raising money for Food Rescue US. Patrons to either restaurant can get a free BOGO meal or slice to use in January by donating five dollars on top of their bill.