Writer/Film Director Dena Darvish Derakhshan hand-distributes bags of food to those in need

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - April 16, 2020 - PRLog -- A normally fast-paced businessman and artist based in the San Fernando Valley, Mr. Derakhshan was sidelined by the pandemic that reached all of Americans last month. After a few days of watching TV, movies, and listening to music, he contacted local non-profits - Hope of the Valley and North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry (NHIFP) - asking if they needed any volunteer work done.

The NHIFP were in desperate need. Many volunteers are retired or elderly; unable to go out and do their part, due to the government-mandate due to bigger chances of getting sick. Mr. Derakhshan was recruited the next day to come in and help out. Sporting a face-mask, gloves and a simple t-shirt and jeans with black shoes, he fills paper bags with essential food items and sets them into a truck with one other person. He's doing his part to organize and distribute to over 100 families in the area who are down on their luck.

It's a fast-paced job to do this work. It's a lot of heavy lifting and sorting items. Each bag weighs about 10 pounds and has tuna, peanut butter, pasta, breakfast bars, tomatoes, soups, canned beans, veggies, and fruit. "I like doing this, actually," he says, "I work at a computer half the day writing or editing so this good blue-collar work, much like directing movies, which I also love doing".

When asked if there was any projects he'd been still working on, he replied, "I've been doing voice-overs mostly. I've been doing interviews for a documentary on futurology and transhumanism. These interviews are done by video chat recordings, audio recordings, and when I do in-person recordings it's just me doing all the work. I stay at least 6 feet away, bring hand sanitizer for both of us and generally spend a few hours with my laptop and recording on my phone".

He explains more, "Well, the phone records in 4K HD and with an app I control settings for that desirable cinematic look such as focus and exposure".

He needs to get back to volunteering. Today, Mr. Derakhshan is at Temple Beth Hillel, stocking 100 bags of food to hand out for tomorrow morning at First Christian Church of North Hollywood.

The North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry is a 100% volunteer coalition of diverse religious institutions and individuals working together to address the problem of food insecurity in the community. A coalition of 13 participating congregations distribute 260+ bags of food two mornings a week, 52 weeks a year.

https://www.NHIFP.org