People with chronic ailments such as diabetes and high blood pressure have better health outcomes when they eat a healthy diet. Sadly, many bear the brunt of steep medical expenses, limited income because of disability, and inaccessible grocery stores. WPE co-locates weekly food distributions with Mobile Health Clinics in Contra Costa County to support these neighbors. Doctors at the clinics refer their patients to us, where they can access high-quality food specific to their medical needs free of charge. The food we distribute adheres to nutritional guidelines for people with a wide range of conditions.
Deb, a volunteer at our Food Is Medicine distribution in Martinez, recently shared this story: “One unhoused gentleman would never speak a word but had the kindest eyes and nature. Gradually, after a few gentle hellos and greetings, he began to talk to me. Now, every time I see him, he smiles and immediately comes over with a new adventure to share. All he wants is crunchy peanut butter and a bag of healthy groceries! He had an aphasic stroke many years ago and has been afraid to talk to people. He felt his stutter and slurred words would make people afraid of him. I can tell you that I no longer hear him stutter, and I absolutely love to see the beautiful smile he was hiding from the world. To think, a little food and a ‘hello’ was all it took for him to find comfort in the crowd.”
Want to learn more about joining our team of volunteers to provide hope and drive lasting change? Interested in donating food to help nourish even more neighbors? Visit https://www.WhitePonyExpress.org to get started.