On Wednesday, March 29, Whole Foods Market will present the keys of a new refrigerated van to the nonprofit White Pony Express (WPE)—a donation that not only supports the nonprofit’s mission of nourishing neighbors in need, but helps expand the organization’s reach as food insecurity in the Bay Area continues to rise.
WPE operates a Food Rescue Program that picks up 12,000 lbs. of surplus fresh food from grocery stores, farmers markets, and restaurants, which is then distributed to 90+ nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry throughout Contra Costa County.
Since its inception, White Pony Express has rescued and delivered more than 22 million pounds of nutritious food—equivalent to more than 18 million meals—and prevented 20,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions from entering the air we breathe.
The van presentation will take place at 3 p.m. at the Whole Foods Market store in Temescal, located at 5110 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA. As an added bonus, Whole Foods Market will fill the van with fresh produce and other nutritious perishables for delivery to our neighbors in need.
“A key part of our mission at Whole Foods Market is nourishing people and the planet. This donation and partnership with White Pony Express broadens our shared values and a shared initiative for both organizations,” said Donna Ward, Store Team Leader. “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. We are particularly delighted that this donation is being made in March, which is National Nutrition Month.”
For a number of years, Whole Foods Market has been a significant supporter and donor of its fresh, nutritious food to WPE. Weekly donations from Whole Food Market stores average 17,203 lbs. and in 2022, WPE received a total of 928,935 lbs. of food from Whole Foods Market stores.
“We are grateful and honored to collaborate with Whole Foods Market to ensure our entire community has access to high-quality food, particularly at a time when food inflation and food insecurity are on the rise. We expect an increase in demand for our food now that federal SNAP emergency allotments are coming to an end,” said Eve Birge, Executive Director of WPE. “The van that Whole Foods Market is donating will go into service right away, delivering food to thousands of hungry people in Contra Costa County.”
About White Pony Express
White Pony Express, founded by Dr. Carol Weyland Conner in 2013, is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to eliminate hunger and poverty by delivering the abundance all around us to those in need. WPE lovingly serves 120,000 people each year by partnering with more than 90 nonprofit agencies.
WPE also operates a General Store which distributes surplus inventory from retailers, such as clothing, educational toys, and emergency supplies. In 9 years, we have given away more than one million items.
Charity Navigator, the premier nonprofit rating group, recently recognized WPE with a 100% score and a four-star rating—the highest rating possible. Less than one-tenth of one percent of nonprofits earn a perfect score from Charity Navigator. In addition, WPE was recognized by Candid with a platinum seal of transparency, their highest accolade.
For more information about WPE, visit www.whiteponyexpress.org.
About Whole Foods Market.
For more than 40 years, Whole Foods Market has been the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer. As the first certified organic national grocer, Whole Foods Market has more than 500 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit