The Costco Connection - December 2017

WHEN YOUR resources are few and far between, having the means to provide clothing for yourself or a growing family can be a struggle. That’s where White Pony Express (WPE; whiteponyexpress. org), established in ;;;; by Dr. Carol Weyland Conner, comes in. The Pleasant Hill, California–based nonprofit organization operates the Free General Store program to provide clothing for children, men and women, and also distributes toys and books.

Instead of serving residents from a permanent storefront, WPE takes things one step further, using volunteers to drive trucks full of goods to communities in need all over Contra Costa County. Costco member Mary Brooks, who oversees the Free General Store, says that the “mobile boutiques” take away the barrier of access for those without means of transportation.

Magic bus

WHEN JENNIFER Caraway’s friend Joy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several years ago, Caraway wanted to help by cooking nutritious meals for her. While Caraway—a Costco member in Phoenix— helped her friend, she wondered about cancer patients who didn’t enjoy the same support. So she came up with a plan.

What started as a simple gesture of kindness for a friend has turned into a nonprofit organization that delivers nutrition and compassion, one meal at a time. Just before Joy passed away in ;;;;, Caraway showed her a drawing of the name she had trademarked—The Joy Bus—explaining that she was going to provide delicious, healthy meals for homebound cancer patients in Joy’s name.

Caraway began her mission by knocking on doors. A veteran of the restaurant and catering business, she wasn’t shy about asking local chefs to partner with her, as well as reaching out to companies that could donate provisions and supplies. The response was tremendous, and she emphasizes that she couldn’t do it alone.

“This is totally a community effort.

There are so many people who volunteer
and make it happen each week. This is not
a one-person thing,” Caraway says.

To identify those most in need of her healthy meals, Caraway works with patient case managers. For the past six years, she and her volunteers have collected, cooked and delivered food to hundreds of homebound cancer patients in need of a friendly face and a home-cooked meal.

Today, Caraway cites several celebrity chefs, a local organic farmer and more than ;; volunteers as partners in The Joy Bus ( thejoybus.org). One of those volunteers is Mike Lebrasca, who has been battling prostate cancer for two years. Each week, Lebrasca preps food and delivers meals.

“It’s a way for me to give back and be involved rather than sitting at home just waiting for my next treatment. I share my story with patients and they share theirs,” Lebrasca says.

In ;;;;, Caraway opened The Joy Bus Diner ( thejoybusdiner.com)—a ;;; percent nonprofit diner that operates solely to finance the organization’s mission. On Fridays, you’ll find Caraway and her volunteers at the diner, cooking, packaging and delivering meals, along with a friendly word and a smile.—Sally Benford