In a world where millions go hungry while tons of perfectly good food are discarded, one Contra Costa County nonprofit is proving that compassion and efficiency can rewrite the story of waste.
White Pony Express — founded in 2013 by the late Dr. Carol Weyland Conner — is a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating hunger and poverty. Entirely volunteer-powered, this organization gathers surplus food from partner businesses and delivers it to those in need.
Volunteers would gather food from partners such as Whole Foods, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, restaurants, and catering companies that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
The donations are high-quality and often organic – edible items that are simply nearing their sell-by date.
Volunteers work quickly to get the food to where it's needed. Three shifts meet the delivery drivers at the distribution center throughout the day.
They go through all the food, first sorting it by quality, and then curating the deliveries for the nonprofits being served that morning.
Everything gets sorted at that time, placed back on the trucks, and then it's delivered to pantry programs at schools, senior centers, veterans' organizations, and groups serving unhoused individuals.
Alternatively, some of the food goes directly to nonprofit kitchens for meals served that day. If the food arrives in the evening, it is served for breakfast or lunch the next day.
"It's amazing how much food we're talking about," says Eve Birge, White Pony Express's chief executive officer. "You know that we are so wasteful, and in a state like California, there is so much bounty, yet nearly one-third of it ends up in landfills, much of it unnecessarily. So, the scale of this problem is massive."
Since its inception, WPE has rescued and delivered more than 26 million pounds of food, equivalent to approximately 22 million meals.
"My goal is for every restaurant, catering company, and cafeteria to donate all of their surplus to a food recovery organization like ours. And when they do that, we will have no hunger,” says Birge.
The name White Pony Express blends two inspirations: the Pony Express, symbolizing efficient delivery of products, and the White Horse, which many faith traditions see as a symbol for transformation, unity, and purity.
Dr. Conner, who passed away in April 2023, once said America has so much material wealth that “no one needs to go to bed without proper food, clothing, or shelter.”
“The White Pony Express offers a simple and practical model of life for the present and future, a 'circle of giving' based on volunteerism and shared abundance, in which 'all of us take care of all of us'. This is not charity work; for me, those now 'marginalized' are our neighbors and members of our one family."
Her legacy continues beyond food distribution.
The organization’s Cold Weather Clothing Initiative provides winter clothing, sleeping bags, tarps, and emergency backpacks, while its baby backpack program supports new mothers in the county’s Black Infant Health Program. Mobile “pop-up boutiques” offer free, curated items that allow guests to “shop” with dignity and choice.
"Love is central to everything we do, and our volunteers, including young people seeking community service, truly enjoy making a difference in areas like environmental protection and food insecurity,” notes Birge. “Their energy and enthusiasm are amazing, and often, the experience exceeds expectations."
Currently, WPE is promoting its end-of-year matching funds campaign, which has become even more critical following the loss of federal funding support. For information, visit Whiteponyexpress.org/donate-funds/