A message from the Executive Director
Gary Conner
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As you can tell from your volunteer work, life is active at WPE, and ever changing. And it all relies on collaborations with more than 100 food and clothing donors and recipient organizations. New partners are finding us and enhancing their own work as well as ours simultaneously. Tanuka Gordon, founder of Mindful Littles, is using her network of parents to fill backpacks for our Cold Weather Clothing Program. Because Tanuka understands and supports our quality standards, many emergency backpacks, with all new items, will be donated in the coming weeks.
A second new partner is Supply Bank in Oakland. They provide school supplies and home supplies for children from low-income families. They want to spread their work to Contra Costa County, and find our network of 80+ recipient organizations and our nascent School Pantry program allows them to do more sooner. They don’t have to create their own relationships in order to serve. We expect later this year to develop a program with them, whereby they donate the supplies and WPE is the connecting link between that abundance and the need once again.
Because of WPE’s collaborative nature, groups are drawn to be a part of this effort toward recognizing the essential unity of all, whatever their station in life, with the result that more lives are uplifted and the sting of poverty is lessened.
Our community is so grateful for the work you do, week in and week out. It has changed the atmosphere of our county.
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Construction at Vincent Road
Food Rescue distribution center gets a makeover
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Last year we hired four full-time and twelve part-time employees, and developed a plan to, hopefully, double our food distribution over the next couple of years. Well, because our need was urgent, we couldn’t wait to have everything ready in advance of this new growth.
Our employees and managing and administrative volunteers need space in which to work. Most of the corporate side of the building is being remodeled into a human friendly work space, with attractively designed carrels, new lighting, ceiling tiles and flooring. And before that is completed we are going to “remodel” the HVAC system to provide a more even and comfortable environment. There will also be two new small offices and a refreshment center with small fridge, sink, and microwave for volunteers and staff. We hope to complete this project by the end of the month. Our landlord and board member, Brad Smith, generously agreed to oversee the project, as the contractor bid we received was way more than we could afford.
And, in order to provide enough work space and meet the greater needs of the Food Rescue Distribution Center, we sold the old walk-in, and turned one of the rear rooms into a new, much larger walk-in cooler and a new walk-in freezer—they fill the room. We hope you will drop by in a few weeks to see the final result.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Rachel Dacus
Development professional giving back
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As many of you may know it takes an abundance of volunteers and staff to make WPE a success. Behind the scenes there are teams of volunteers serving on the board, leadership and development teams propelling the organization forward in its mission to end hunger and poverty in Contra Costa County. This month we feature Rachel Dacus, one of the many unsung heroes of WPE who collaboratively organizes, plans and executes tasks with the development team, securing the much-needed funds to keep WPE moving forward.
To WPE’s benefit, Rachel is a professional grant writer and author. Rachel and her husband David are long time WPE supporters, volunteering with the organization since its early days. Their commitment is evident, while speaking with the couple they radiate joy as they discuss their work and its fulfillment. When asked the question, why do you do what you do? Rachel responded,
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It's my privilege to find resources to support the people who help other people. It gives me a sense of aiding others, a good reason to get up in the morning.”
A sentiment similarly shared among those who serve at WPE.
In addition to Rachel’s development work, she is a published author. From poetry to novels, Rachel makes great use of her pen to engage a diverse audience of readers. Rachel’s latest book,
The Renaissance Club
was released earlier this year and can be found at
Amazon.com
.
Thank you for all you have done and continue to do Rachel – We are supremely grateful for your time and talents.
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Give monthly and be the difference for youth in our county
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Many children and families in the county rely on WPE for healthy food and fresh clothing. To meet these needs WPE requires year-round financial support from people like you.
Join WPE's special community of monthly donors and uplift lives all year long. Feel rewarded knowing that every dollar you invest equates to $6 dollars worth of goods or services for those who need it most.
Click the following link, fill out your details and be sure to select the
recurring donation
option to become a monthly donor:
http://bit.ly/2oCRpqb
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Thank you for your generous support!
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Get Involved in 2018
Volunteer at the next mobile boutique
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On
Sunday, April 15, 2018
, we have the wonderful opportunity to partner with Cambridge Elementary School in Concord to host a Mobile Boutique. We hope to serve 1,000 guests, including men, women and school children.
The boutique will be open from 12 pm noon until 4:00 PM. We will need close to 200 volunteers for this special boutique. Each of the two boutique host shifts will need approximately 100 volunteers. Volunteers are also needed to help with Load and Transport.
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Support WPE While Shopping
You shop. Amazon gives.
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Remember when you are doing your online shopping at
Amazon Smile
, a portion of your purchase will be donated to White Pony Express. Feel twice as good by shopping for a cause. Thank you to those who named White Pony Express as their nonprofit of choice.
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March 5, 2018
WPE Exhibiting at East Bay Women's Conference, San Ramon Marriott
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April 15, 2018
FGS Mobile Boutique
Cambridge Elementary School
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