How Everyday Action Turns Hollywood Food Waste Into Meals | CNN Everyday Hero Nominee

Avoiding Food Waste. This Thanksgiving weekend, while many of us are enjoying leftovers, thousands of perfectly good meals are still being thrown away on film and TV sets every day.
But two powerhouse women decided, “Not on our watch.”

Today you’ll meet Hillary Cohen (CNN Everyday Hero nominee!) and Samantha Liu, the co-founders of Everyday Action — a Los Angeles nonprofit rescuing gourmet, untouched meals from Hollywood productions and delivering them directly to people facing food insecurity. Since 2020, they’ve redistributed over 270,000 meals, supported dozens of nonprofits, and trained an entire crew of volunteers and industry drivers.

Their story is emotional, inspiring, and full of the kind of hope we all crave during the holiday season.

If you’ve ever wondered how “ordinary people” make an extraordinary impact, this episode is your new favorite Thanksgiving inspiration.

🔎 In This Video You’ll Learn

Why food waste in Hollywood is so massive

How Hillary & Sam started Everyday Action during the pandemic

The misconceptions about unhoused individuals

The behind-the-scenes logistics of rescuing meals

How they built a driver program using people from the film industry

What it looks like to give with dignity and compassion

Their dream to expand across the country

Ways YOU can help fight food waste (even this weekend!)

💛 Support Everyday Action

If this conversation inspired you, here’s how to get involved:

🌐 Website: https://youreveryday.org

📸 Instagram:   / every_day_action  

✨ Volunteer: Drivers, warehouse help, behind-the-scenes support
💰 Donate: Help fund their warehouse, freezer, and expansion
🗳️ Vote for Hillary: If voting is still open for CNN's Everyday Hero
https://www.cnn.com/world/heroes/vote