White Pony serves hundreds at drive-through celebration
CONCORD, CA — Working as efficiently as a pit crew at the Sonoma Raceway, White Pony Express (WPE) volunteers quickly served hundreds of vehicles that made their way through a Mt. Diablo High School parking lot for a special drive-through giveaway on May 1.
The event marked the nonprofit’s rescue and delivery of 15 million pounds of surplus food. A series of speakers kicked off the celebration, including Dr. Carol Weyland Conner, who founded the organization in 2013.
Conner sees a new paradigm playing out in the post-pandemic world.
“Love knows all, does all,” she said.
At a time when people are being marginalized into have and have nots, “it is the most powerful force in the world,” Conner added.
Joining Conner to praise WPE’s efforts were Josh Fryday, California’s chief service officer and head of the state agency California Volunteers, and Rachel Wagoner, director of the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
Community comes together
Fryday noted that the pandemic has shown how a community can come together to solve problems, but he acknowledged that words alone are not enough.
“We are putting real skin into the game by including $20 million in the state budget” to support volunteerism and help communities do more to meet local needs, he said.
A by-product of WPE’s work is that less food is going into landfills. Wagoner lauded the organization’s contribution to the “climate changing movement” and methane reduction efforts in California that are translating into 21,000 fewer cars on the roads.
Wagoner also spoke of the direct need that WPE’s efforts are meeting every day.
“Thanks to you, there are going to be children tonight with full bellies,” she said.
At the drive-through giveaway, WPE was prepared to distribute fresh groceries and sized-clothing, even the game Battleship, to about 500 families in need.
For the unique clothing distribution, English- and Spanish-speaking volunteers took clothing sizes of guests in each car at the front of the line. A runner would then take this information to the clothing station. After each driver received allotments of vegetables and non-perishable food, clothing was ready to be placed in the trunk –bundled by size.
The day was made all the more festive by musicians from Concord High School who welcomed one car after another through the designated route, making this particular Saturday afternoon like no other drive-through experience.