FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is White Pony Express’s mission?
WPE’s mission is to help end hunger and poverty in Contra Costa County by delivering the abundance all around us to those in need. Our motto is 'all of us taking care of all of us!'.
Is WPE a food rescue organization?
Yes, but that is only part of what it does. It also operates a very active Clothing & Care Program, which delivers new clothing, toys, games, and shoes to the underserved in our neighborhoods.
What is food rescue?
Food rescue (sometimes called “food recovery) involves taking surplus food that's still perfectly good from retail food establishments, commercial distributors, and professional kitchens and then redistributing it to communities in need. This food, which would be discarded, is not spoiled, rotten, or out of code. The food may not look perfect but is still nutritious and delicious.
Is food insecurity a problem?
Yes. About one in ten people in Contra Costa County are considered food insecure, meaning these individuals or families struggle to find their next meal.
Food insecurity is a much bigger problem nationally:
• Over 35 million people in the United States struggled with hunger (2019).
More than 16 million are children.
• One in six Americans does not have enough food to eat and requires emergency food assistance.
• One in five suburban households face food insecurity.
• One in five children are born into food-insecure households.
How does WPE’s food rescue work?
Seven days a week, 364 days per year, our program rescues 14,000+ lbs. each day includes high-quality, mainly perishable, surplus food from local grocers, retailers, farmers' markets, restaurants, catering companies, test kitchens, and wholesalers. This abundance is then culled for freshness, sorted, and lovingly delivered by our volunteer teams in refrigerated vehicles the same day or the next day—all free of charge--to 70 local organizations serving those in need.
Where does WPE take its food?
Rescued food is taken to a variety of not-for-profit agencies feeding hungry people in Contra Costa County. Food is transported in our refrigerated vehicles to more than 70 local, not for profit organizations, including food pantries, shelters, agencies for victims of domestic violence, senior adult centers, soup kitchens, substance abuse and rehabilitation programs, medical daycare facilities, churches and agencies helping support the working poor.
Why do food outlets and businesses have such large amounts of surplus food?
There are numerous reasons why businesses waste so much food. Consumer preferences and company standards for perfect-looking produce cause supermarkets to reject or discard produce with minor, superficial imperfections. Supermarkets cater to customers’ needs, which means they must remain fully stocked, even if that results in wasted food. In most cases, it is easier for supermarkets to throw food out at the end of the day than to find another home for it. That’s where White Pony Express comes in — we offer a simple, streamlined service for food vendors that provides them with a tax break, reduces trash collection costs, and allows them to help feed people in their communities. If it is good food, why isn't it consumed?
Good food isn’t consumed for various reasons—Overbuying, incorrect consumer choice forecasting, and manufacturing and distribution issues. Even weather conditions can affect excess food amounts. Edible, nutritious food is being wasted in almost every facet of the food industry.
Does WPE deliver food to individuals?
WPE doesn’t deliver its food to individuals. Instead, WPE brings it to agencies, such as shelters, senior centers, and churches that give our food to those they serve.
Is WPE a food bank?
No. It is not a food bank, primarily because WPE does not “bank” food. We want to ensure our recipients receive food at its maximum freshness. White Pony Express focuses its rescue efforts on highly perishable nutritious foods and then delivers to our recipients the same day it is received—free of charge. Nearly 90% of the food WPE distributes is perishable, and 70% is highly perishable. There are other differences. WPE tries to provide the foods that agencies have requested. Like some food banks, it does not deliver pallets of food that recipients must sort themselves. White Pony Express never buys food or charges a fee to the recipient agencies for the food it delivers.
Is WPE a food pantry?
No. In general, a food pantry is a place that distributes bags or boxes of food directly to those in need who reside in a specified area. Individuals cannot come to shop at WPE for food, as our lease doesn’t allow that.
Are you a faith-based organization?
No, we are not. White Pony Express originated under the local faith-based group, Sufism Reoriented, but expanded rapidly and became a separate entity. In March of 2014, we incorporated as an independent nonprofit public benefit 501(c)(3) corporation with the goal of uplifting lives through a broad-based community program. White Pony Express welcomes volunteers, staff, and recipients from all walks of life, regardless of religious beliefs.
The benefits of rescuing food: (1) providing food to those who are hungry, (2) reducing food waste, and (3) helping the environment.
Feeding Those Who Are Hungry
WPE rescues and delivers about 3 million pounds of food in a single year that helps many people who cannot meet their daily nutritional needs.
Reducing Food Waste
In general, “food waste” describes items fit for human consumption but thrown away, often at supermarkets or by households.
Despite the widespread use of this term, WPE prefers not to refer to rescued surplus as “waste” because what WPE delivers is a fresh and nutritious food that's perfectly good to eat.
Some Facts About Food Waste
The amount of food households waste every day (40 % of the food produced) is enough to fill the Rose Bowl stadium in California.
$218 billion worth of food is thrown away each year.
Nearly one-quarter of total freshwater consumption per year is used to produce food ultimately wasted.
On a per-capita basis, food waste represents 1,250 calories of food per person per day.
Lowering Greenhouse Gases
Surplus food sent to landfills creates toxic greenhouse gases that harm our environment.
Decomposing food in landfills emits methane, a greenhouse gas that is twenty-five times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Other Frequently Asked Questions:
Isn't it easier to just compost food waste?
In addition to keeping food out of landfills — thereby mitigating the harmful environmental impact food waste has on our environment — food rescue addresses systemic problems like food insecurity and lack of access to healthy food. In California, 1 in 8 people is food insecure, meaning they do not always know where their next meal will come from. Perishable products such as fresh fruits and vegetables are among the most wasted food products. By using this surplus, food rescue can help food-insecure individuals gain access to the types of foods they might not ordinarily be able to afford. While composting is valuable, we believe that distributing fresh, healthy food has a greater human impact than composting, especially with the need being so great.
What is California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Reduction Act?
In 2016, California enacted SB 1383, the Short-lived Climate Pollutants Reduction Act, which requires food producers in California to reduce their disposal of organic waste. California’s CalRecycle will be administering the provisions of this bill.
WPE is working with CalRecycle and Central Contra Costa County Solid Waste (Recycle Smart) to educate businesses on their options for diverting food waste from the waste stream. We hope to form new partnerships with food businesses looking to donate excess food to comply with the regulations, which go into effect on January 1, 2022. More information is available here.
Can I receive food from White Pony Express?
If you're interested in learning more about the requirements to become a WPE Food Rescue recipient organization, please contact us.
How can someone volunteer for White Pony Express?
Simply sign up for a tour and a quick introduction to learn about what we do and current opportunities. Most volunteering activities at White Pony Express require that you first attend an orientation session.
Can my company donate our excess food to White Pony Express?
Of course! We welcome any new donor interested in helping the local Contra Costa County community. We can help also help you with SB-1383 compliance! If you are interested in finding out more, please email us.
I hosted an event with prepared/catered food, and there are leftovers! Can I donate them?
Yes, you may! Our criteria include food that was prepared correctly and handled in a certified commercial kitchen, kept at the proper temperature, and never handled by the general public at any point.
Can you come to pick up my food donation from me?
Generally, we require 300 lbs. or more in donations to come to pick up from you. If your donation is smaller than 300 lbs., you may wish to contact organizations like Copia or Postmates FoodFight! to pick up your food and deliver it to WPE. We will be rolling out a new app-based food donation pick-up system in the next few months… stay tuned!
You can always drop off your donations at our distribution center: 3380 Vincent Rd #107 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 from 8 AM-4 PM (preferably after 11 AM), 7-days-a-week.
Do you have a nutrition policy?
We prefer to only receive and distribute fresh, healthy, and nutrient-dense foods to our recipients. We always welcome eggs, dairy, meats/proteins, and produce donations.
What about liability?
Both the federal government and the state of California have enacted laws to protect food donors from liability:
• The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, passed by Congress in 1996, protects businesses that donate food in good faith from being held liable should someone become ill. The only exception to the law is in the case of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
• Additionally, California law AB-129 states, “except for injury resulting from gross negligence or intentional misconduct in the preparation or handling of donated food, no person, gleaner, or food facility that donates food that is fit for human consumption at the time it was donated to a nonprofit charitable organization or food bank shall be liable for any damage or injury resulting from the consumption of the donated food."
What about food safety?
The food we receive is always handled with food safety in mind. All staff, volunteers, drivers, and navigators must adhere to WPE’s Health and Safety policies. These policies are established and rigorously adhered to ensure health and safety at WPE, our donor organizations, and our recipients. Our criteria include that the food has been prepared in a certified commercial kitchen. All food is transported to our distribution center in Pleasant Hill in refrigerated vehicles.
Are donations tax-deductible?
Food donors are advised to consult with their tax adviser for information on tax deductions. For information on tax credits in California, please see Chapter 503, Statutes of 2011 (Fuentes, AB 152), regarding donations to food banks, voluntary contributions, and income tax credits.
I’m considering making a financial donation and want to know how my money will be used.
Ninety-eight percent of every dollar we raise goes directly into our programs. White Pony Express has been designated a 2019 Platinum Seal of Transparency by the Guidestar Exchange and was named 2018’s California Nonprofit of the Year.
Wouldn't it be more effective to give directly to the pantry or shelter than to White Pony Express?
White Pony Express can deliver to more people and a greater diversity through its partnership with more than 100 agencies, which serves tens of thousands of people each week. Additionally, smaller agencies with fewer resources have an equal opportunity to share the fresh food White Pony Express delivers.