Franciscan University is partnering with Sodexo dining services to take part in a program to donate surplus foods to the area's needy.

Food Donation Connection, a Knoxville-based organization, visited the university to finalize plans for giving the extra food to local soup kitchens and food banks helping to feed the hungry instead of throwing it away.

"There's a lot of wasted food in America. We hear about hunger, the economy is so bad now. The need at the food banks is greater than ever and donations are down more than ever. So financially, if you do numbers, that does not add up very quick. Not in a good way," said Steve Dietz, a representative for Food Donation Connection.

Any unused food from Franciscan will be given to the Urban Mission of Steubenville and to students who will distribute it to homeless programs. If the pilot program is successful, hundreds of other campuses across the country may participate.