How much food could be rescued if college dining halls saved their leftovers? Turns out more than 200,000 pounds in three years - according to the Food Recovery Network, which has mobilized college students across the nation to feed hungry people in the most commonsense way possible. At the University of Maryland's 251 North dining hall, ... the dining hall staff began placing stainless-steel trays filled with unused food on an island countertop near the end of a spacious industrial kitchen. One by one, steaming trays were stacked on top of the other as several college students snapped on latex gloves and discussed their game plan. Their objective was simple, really: to intercept the food before it's thrown away and deliver it to hungry people in need. The ever-expanding Food Recovery Network ... was founded on Maryland's campus in September 2011 by Ben Simon, the nonprofit's executive director. Food is thrown out at 75 percent of college campuses across the United States. That's roughly 22 million meals per year, trashed. Overall, Americans waste 36 million tons of food annually. But since the founding of the Food Recovery Network at the University of Maryland ... in January 2012, the organization has expanded to 49 campuses nationwide.