When you think about the county lock up, you're likely to think about things such as crime, bail bonds and people who are serving time.  But now, at least one of the Orange County Jails has started to give back to the community.

Namely, they're turning over excess lunch meat (and other food stuffs) to the St. Francis Home and the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center.

There is quite a bit of food that's prepared for inmates on a daily basis, according to a representative from the Theo Lacy Jail, and not all of it gets used.

And now, instead of tossing things like rice, scrambled eggs and other items in the trash, they're donating it to help out the less fortunate.

The Salvation Army confirmed they picked up about 19 trays of deli meat, including turkey, roast beef and ham just last week.  Each tray weighed about 20 pounds each, they said.  It was quite a bit of food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Deputies say they're happy to know these things aren't just being tossed into the trash.  Reducing food waste is a priority, they said, and if there is excess that's prepared, they sleep better knowing it's being put to good use.

Up to fifteen hundred pounds of food are being re-routed to the home and rehab center each week.

Some inmate kitchen workers say they're hopeful the program will be expanded to other jails in the region.

Read the full story here:  A surprising way to fill shelves, stomachs with jail leftovers