Whole Foods Market, White Pony Express Partner To Feed Area Hungry

WALNUT CREEK, CA — White Pony Express recently participated in Whole Foods Market’s "Stuff the Van" event, which was held across the country to benefit recipients of its "Nourishing Our Neighborhoods" program.

Whole Foods Market has donated refrigerated vans to over 30 organizations, including White Pony Express, that are dedicated to reducing food insecurity in their communities.

On Saturday, Sept. 30 at its Newell Avenue location in Walnut Creek, Whole Foods Market filled the donated van with fresh produce and other groceries, which will feed hungry and under-served community members.

"We were thrilled to receive one of Whole Foods' refrigerated vans and to participate in their 'Nourishing Our Neighborhoods' program,” said Eve Birge, executive director of White Pony Express. "The van has expanded our capacity to deliver needed fresh food to vulnerable neighbors across the county."

Whole Foods Market launched Nourishing Our Neighborhoods in September 2020 and has donated 37 refrigerated vans to food rescue partners to transport food to communities across the United States and Canada. These partners participate in the company’s Grocery Rescue Program — picking up food from their stores weekly and redistributing it to feed neighbors fresh, high-quality food as quickly as possible.

White Pony Express is a volunteer-powered nonprofit organization founded in 2013 in Contra Costa County by Dr. Carol Weyland Conner with a mission to eliminate hunger and poverty by delivering the abundance all around us to those in need — with love. The Pleasant Hill-based organization's Rescue Program operates seven days a week, rescuing a daily average of more than 10,000 pounds of high-quality, surplus, fresh food from over 60 local food outlets. This nutritious food is redistributed within 24 hours to over 90 nonprofit partner recipients who feed the hungry in Contra Costa County.

Upon presenting the van to White Pony Express in March, Whole Foods Market said the donation and partnership with White Pony Express broadened shared values and a shared initiative for both organizations.

"A key part of our mission at Whole Foods Market is nourishing people and the planet," said Donna Ward, store team leader for Whole Foods Market. "We continue to be amazed by the work that WPE does in Contra Costa County to provide fresh food to our hungry neighbors, and we look forward to building upon our long-standing relationship."

Did You Know?

Using the White Pony Express Food Rescue App, food donors can signal when they have excess food. An available "food runner" volunteer then picks up and delivers the food directly to a matching food recipient organization. Read more about the Food Rescue Hero Initiative.