How Two Hollywood Insiders Are Turning Film Set Leftovers into Meals for LA’s Hungry

In Los Angeles, a pair of former assistant directors are transforming the way Hollywood’s excess food is handled — by delivering it directly to people in need.

Hillary Cohen spent 15 years working behind the scenes on hit shows like “Mad Men,” “The Office,” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” She enjoyed the gourmet meals prepared for cast and crew, but was troubled by how much food went to waste. “They would just throw it out,” Cohen said, citing liability concerns from productions.

In 2020, after the pandemic halted filming, Cohen teamed up with colleague Samantha Luu to launch Every Day Action, a nonprofit that rescues leftover meals from film sets and other venues. Since then, the group estimates it has redistributed more than 270,000 meals to shelters, food pantries, community fridges, and homeless encampments.

“We’re the GrubHub,” Cohen said. “We take it from point A to point B.”

The group’s Film Industry Driver Program pays production assistants and background actors — often among the industry’s lowest-paid workers — to pick up and deliver food between jobs. Drivers receive training, safety vests, and thermal bags to keep food at the proper temperature.

Every Day Action operates 24/7, collecting from five to 10 locations daily across a 90-mile radius. Industry partners say the system is efficient. “They show up, we pass off the food, and we’re all set,” said Stephen Faust, a catering chef with over 20 years of on-set experience.

When industry work slowed during the 2023 writers’ strike, the nonprofit expanded to include partnerships with grocery stores and other businesses. Cohen and Luu now run the organization full-time, supported by location donations that help cover driver stipends and fuel.

“I feel like my skillset is called to do this,” Cohen said. “Now more than ever, we have to help each other.”

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