A Nashville restaurant's leftovers have become 61,000 meals for the Rescue Mission

Through the Shared Table program, Melrose Music City Chick-fil-A has donated 61,000 meals to the Nashville Rescue Mission since owner Susan Riley opened the restaurant in 2019. NewsChannel 5 reported that a morning shift can turn out 400 to 500 biscuits, and that food which is not sold is frozen instead of thrown out. The mission picks up the surplus about twice a week. On the delivery the station followed, Robbie Brooks estimated about 100 pounds, or about 75 meals.

Riley said the restaurant also hires people from the mission's recovery program. Chief executive Stephanie Sewell said the mission serves three meals a day, about 1,600 meals every day, and expects to serve 600,000 meals this year. She said it provides about 80 percent of the beds and food for the city. The restaurant's leftovers are one stream into that kitchen.