WHITE PONY EXPRESS

Carol Weyland Conner, PhD, spiritual director of Sufism Reoriented, founded WPE in September 2013 when she was troubled that in a county of such abundance, scores of thousands were going hungry, while at the same time food retailers were throwing out huge quantities of healthy, fresh food. Her idea was to create a Food Rescue Program, where this good surplus food could be picked up directly from food retailers and delivered to local service organizations, who serve those in need.

Each day, WPE's trucks are sent to supermarkets, restaurants, and farmers markets to pick up 5,000 lb. of fresh produce, milk, and deli meats that would otherwise go to the landfill. The food is then distributed free of charge the same day to nonprofits who feed the hungry in Contra Costa County.

Since its beginning in 2013, WPE has rescued more than 6 million pounds of surplus food products to those in need in Contra Costa County. Without WPE's rescue efforts, this food would be sent to the dump, creating greenhouse gases.

In addition to the Food Rescue Program, WPE also has a Free General Store (FGS), which distributes surplus new and like-new clothing, primarily through innovative and joyful events called Mobile Boutiques. To date, the FGS has given away more than 300,000 items of clothing and more than 100,000 children's books, games, and toys in underserved parts of the county.

We always need dedicated volunteers to help WPE further its important work of eliminating hunger and poverty in the county.

Carol Weyland Conner, PhD, spiritual director of Sufism Reoriented, founded WPE in September 2013 when she was troubled that in a county of such abundance, scores of thousands were going hungry, while at the same time food retailers were throwing out huge quantities of healthy, fresh food. Her idea was to create a Food Rescue Program, where this good surplus food could be picked up directly from food retailers and delivered to local service organizations, who serve those in need.

Each day, WPE's trucks are sent to supermarkets, restaurants, and farmers markets to pick up 5,000 lb. of fresh produce, milk, and deli meats that would otherwise go to the landfill. The food is then distributed free of charge the same day to nonprofits who feed the hungry in Contra Costa County.

Since its beginning in 2013, WPE has rescued more than 6 million pounds of surplus food products to those in need in Contra Costa County. Without WPE's rescue efforts, this food would be sent to the dump, creating greenhouse gases.

In addition to the Food Rescue Program, WPE also has a Free General Store (FGS), which distributes surplus new and like-new clothing, primarily through innovative and joyful events called Mobile Boutiques. To date, the FGS has given away more than 300,000 items of clothing and more than 100,000 children's books, games, and toys in underserved parts of the county.

We always need dedicated volunteers to help WPE further its important work of eliminating hunger and poverty in the county.

In less than 5 years, WPE has:
• Gone from zero to having rescued and delivered 6,000,000 lbs. of food—enough food to provide 5,000,000 meals, the hungry would have gone without
• Acquired a fleet of nine refrigerated and unrefrigerated vehicles
• Held 34 Mobile Boutique events, distributing 175,000+ clothing items and 50,000+ toys and books
• Built a base of 400+ community volunteers
• Partnered with 100+ food, toy, and clothing donors
• Partnered with 60+ nonprofits, through whom we serve 60,000 neighbors in need
• Gone from no space to having 5-year leases for warehouses aggregating 9,000 sq. ft.

In less than 5 years, WPE has:
• Gone from zero to having rescued and delivered 6,000,000 lbs. of food—enough food to provide 5,000,000 meals, the hungry would have gone without
• Acquired a fleet of nine refrigerated and unrefrigerated vehicles
• Held 34 Mobile Boutique events, distributing 175,000+ clothing items and 50,000+ toys and books
• Built a base of 400+ community volunteers
• Partnered with 100+ food, toy, and clothing donors
• Partnered with 60+ nonprofits, through whom we serve 60,000 neighbors in need
• Gone from no space to having 5-year leases for warehouses aggregating 9,000 sq. ft.