Bay Area Food Bank Sees Surge in Need Amid Government Shutdown as Nonprofit Launches Massive Food Drive
A growing crisis is unfolding in the Bay Area as thousands of residents face the uncertainty of losing their food benefits due to a government shutdown. In response, a Contra Costa County-based nonprofit organization has launched a massive food drive to help feed hundreds of thousands of people.
White Pony Express, a food recovery organization serving the county, is bracing for an influx of demand after federal officials announced that millions of residents will lose their CalFresh benefits starting November 1. The nonprofit, which sources fresh produce daily from retailers like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, typically distributes it to around 110 nonprofits.
However, leaders warn that the situation is dire, with people lining up at food distribution sites countywide. According to Mary Franklin, a volunteer who has been helping sort incoming food for six years, demand for services has never been higher. "It's dire. It's awful," she said, recalling her experience volunteering at a homeless community where residents rely on their SNAP benefits for just two meals a day.
White Pony Express CEO Eve Birge confirmed Franklin's observations, stating that the organization is already serving hundreds of thousands of people and anticipating a need to grow even further. "We're seeing hundreds of thousands of people, and now, 110,000 households are not going to have the benefits that they rely on for food," she said.
The nonprofit is calling on community members to donate protein-rich items like canned tuna, chicken, salmon, nut butters, beans, lentils, shelf-stable milk, and other shelf-stable foods. Additionally, White Pony Express is accepting monetary donations to support its operations.
To help meet the surge in demand, the organization operates seven days a week, with food drop-off times between 8 am and 3 pm daily. The nonprofit also provides information on how to donate through its website.
As millions of Bay Area residents face an uncertain future, White Pony Express is urging anyone who can help to do so. With food security at risk, the organization's efforts aim to bring hope and sustenance to those in need during this critical period.
A growing crisis is unfolding in the Bay Area as thousands of residents face the uncertainty of losing their food benefits due to a government shutdown. In response, a Contra Costa County-based nonprofit organization has launched a massive food drive to help feed hundreds of thousands of people.
White Pony Express, a food recovery organization serving the county, is bracing for an influx of demand after federal officials announced that millions of residents will lose their CalFresh benefits starting November 1. The nonprofit, which sources fresh produce daily from retailers like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, typically distributes it to around 110 nonprofits.
However, leaders warn that the situation is dire, with people lining up at food distribution sites countywide. According to Mary Franklin, a volunteer who has been helping sort incoming food for six years, demand for services has never been higher. "It's dire. It's awful," she said, recalling her experience volunteering at a homeless community where residents rely on their SNAP benefits for just two meals a day.
White Pony Express CEO Eve Birge confirmed Franklin's observations, stating that the organization is already serving hundreds of thousands of people and anticipating a need to grow even further. "We're seeing hundreds of thousands of people, and now, 110,000 households are not going to have the benefits that they rely on for food," she said.
The nonprofit is calling on community members to donate protein-rich items like canned tuna, chicken, salmon, nut butters, beans, lentils, shelf-stable milk, and other shelf-stable foods. Additionally, White Pony Express is accepting monetary donations to support its operations.
To help meet the surge in demand, the organization operates seven days a week, with food drop-off times between 8 am and 3 pm daily. The nonprofit also provides information on how to donate through its website.
As millions of Bay Area residents face an uncertain future, White Pony Express is urging anyone who can help to do so. With food security at risk, the organization's efforts aim to bring hope and sustenance to those in need during this critical period.
. That's the reality for some people now. And to make matters worse, these people are already struggling to get by.
.
.
the bay area is literally getting hit with a supermajor problem 
! people are freaking out because their food benefits are about to get taken away 
millions of ppl will be like "nope, gotta find ur own grub" 
and its making non-profits like white pony express go into OVERDRIVE 
to accommodate hundreds of thousands more 
and we should all be like "hey, i got this!" 
so if you're good at stuff like that, donate some protein-rich goods or just a lil cash 
Man, it's gettin' real hard out there for people who are strugglin' to make ends meet. I mean, a government shutdown is one thing, but when it hits home like this... it's just not fair 
), let's get behind this effort and show those in need that they ain't alone 
I'm totally down on this massive food drive. It's a total waste of resources, if you ask me. Like, we're just throwing good money after bad, literally. The government should've thought of this stuff before shutting down, now we're stuck with the bill... or rather, the rummage through our fridges for canned goods. And what's with all these protein-rich donations? Can't people just have some rice or pasta like normal? This is just creating a whole new set of problems...
protein-rich donations would def be a big help, and monetary donations would also support their operations. lets all try to do a little more to help those in need during this time 
️
.
. But seriously, can't we just fix the system so people don't lose their benefits over a shutdown? 
.
they really need donations ASAP! shelf-stable foods, canned goods, protein-rich items... can't we just give them some support? 
. what can we do tho? 
. We need more donations like stat, esp protein-rich items & $$$ 
The fact that White Pony Express has to launch this massive food drive just shows how bad it's gotten. I'm donating what I can (canned tuna & nut butters) - hope others do the same! 
!"
what's even more disturbing is that ppl are lining up at food dist sites already and it's only november 
the nonprofit is trying their best but it's clear they're gonna need a lot of help from us regular folk 