(WAND) - On Thanksgiving, many of us will eat a big Thanksgiving dinner and there will be plenty of leftovers, so why not donate excess food?

The Salvation Army of Decatur serves food to about 50 people a day, and leaders say they'll gladly take food donations all day on Thanksgiving, or the day after.

"We would love for them to bring it here," said Mary Claire Sutman, the organization's shelter operations and program director. "We don't want anything to go to waste."

Food can be dropped off at their Larry Cunningham Building on the intersection of Church Street and Wood Street.

"Go to the West entrance where it says 'Social Services'," Sutman said. "Come in, go up the elevator to the 2nd floor, and knock on the door."

Donating leftovers doesn't just help the needy - it also helps the environment. 

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more food (over 76 billion pounds) reaches landfills and combustion facilities than any other material in everyday trash, constituting 22% of discarded municipal solid waste.

"This week, millions of Americans will gather for Thanksgiving to share a traditional family meal," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "One way to act on the gratitude we feel this holiday season is to use food without waste. By wasting less and feeding people instead of filling landfills, we're preserving our environment, caring for those less fortunate and supporting our local communities."

The law prevents people from incurring liability when donating food to a non-profit organization. So there's no reason to not spread the wealth, or in this case, spread the turkey.

"It's just terrible to waste it," Sutman said. "There are people out there in need, and so why not share that, so that it can get to those people?"

Those in the Springfield area can donate their Thanksgiving leftovers to Helping Hands or St. John's Breadline.

Thanksgiving Food Waste Reduction Prep Tips from the EPA

  • Create your shopping list with a menu and number of guests in mind.
  • Shop the refrigerator and pantry first. Cook or eat what might already be at home before buying more.
  • Be mindful of ingredients and leftovers that might be needed to use. People will waste less and may even find a new favorite dish with their favorite Thanksgiving recipes.
  • Plan an "eat the leftovers" night after the big meal. Casseroles, stir-fries, frittatas, soups and smoothies are great ways to use Thanksgiving ingredients and leftovers. Search for websites that provide suggestions for using leftover holiday ingredients.
  • Befriend the freezer. Freeze extra food such as bread, sliced fruit, or meat that might not be usable to possible to eat in time.
  • Consider donation of unused, non-perishable food items.