Each week, farmers in four Los Angeles-area farmers markets fill boxes with unsold fresh produce. Then, volunteers with The Farmers Market Recovery program  sponsored by Food Forward picks up the food and distributes the donations to local hunger-relief nonprofits to pass it on to their clients.

The program averages 14,000 pounds of fresh, free produce per month.

The program started in August 2012, and involves markets in Santa Monica, Hollywood and Studio City.  It hopes to expand to nine markets by the middle of this year.