Key Points

• The nonprofit organization White Pony Express rescues and redistributes 14,000 pounds of surplus food every day to fight hunger and reduce unnecessary waste in Contra Costa County, California.
• Marathon supports the nonprofit with funding and volunteers, helping expand its reach and impact.
• The program emphasizes nutrition security and sustainability, preventing nearly 50,000 tons of CO₂ emissions since its founding in 2013.

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White Pony Express is a nonprofit organization in Northern California that strives to eliminate hunger and poverty by redistributing high-quality surplus food and goods to the most vulnerable members of the community. White Pony Express is the primary food recovery agency serving Contra Costa County and among the most active in the state.

Marathon is proud to support White Pony Express by funding grants and providing employee volunteers from the Martinez Renewables facility to help sort, curate and deliver food donations.

"At Marathon, we believe in directly supporting the communities we serve,” said Chris Staats, Vice President of Refining at the Martinez Renewables facility. “White Pony Express is making a positive impact by providing nutritious food to those who need it most, while also contributing to environmental sustainability.”

"Volunteering at White Pony Express has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Jill Haeni, Supply Chain Director at Marathon’s Martinez Renewables facility. “The hands-on work of sorting and distributing food not only fosters teamwork but also gives us a sense of purpose and fulfillment.”

White Pony Express developed a scalable, logistics-driven model to solve the problem fresh food markets face daily: what to do with their surplus. Seven days a week, the nonprofit rescues and redistributes an average of 14,000 pounds of high-quality, primarily perishable food. Each delivery is thoughtfully sorted and customized to meet the specific needs and preferences of their partnering nonprofits. Beyond addressing hunger, White Pony Express also tackles the environmental impact of food waste.

"Every bite of food carries the weight of the energy, water, and care it took to grow, transport and prepare it,” said Eve Birge, CEO of White Pony Express. “When that food is wasted, it not only squanders those precious resources, it releases potent greenhouse gases. By rescuing food, we honor the work behind it, protect our planet, and help build a food system rooted in sustainability, compassion and justice for all.”

White Pony Express  Founded in 2013 by Dr. Carol Weyland Conner  Distributed 31 million pounds of food (26 million meals) to 100+ nonprofits  Prevented 49,834 tons of CO₂ emissions from entering the atmosphere  Serves over 130,000 individuals annually  Sources surplus food from 98 grocers, distributors, farmers and restaurants  Cultivated a network of 1,200 volunteers

White Pony Express reports that Marathon's donations have been instrumental in helping to sustain and expand its operations and the dependable provision of fresh, healthy food, which is in demand now more than ever.

"White Pony Express addresses the suffering caused by food insecurity, an epidemic rooted in systemic inequities,” said Birge. “Our Food Rescue Program places a strong emphasis on nutrition security, ensuring that the communities most impacted receive reliable access to organic, nutrient-rich foods."