Free General Store "Boutique," March 29, San Pablo

SAN PABLO, Calif. - March 9, 2015 - PRLog -- To celebrate its first year anniversary, the nonprofit White Pony Express Free General Store will host its biggest mobile boutique yet at E.M. Downer Elementary School, 1231 18th Street, San Pablo, CA, on Sunday, March 29, 2015, 11am-4pm. The boutique will serve the 675 students of the school and their families.

The Free General Store, FGS, is one of two primary programs through which White Pony Express meets its mission of helping to end hunger and poverty in Contra Costa County by delivering the abundance that is all around to those in need. Designed as a collaborative program, the FGS partners with donors by picking up their surplus of new and lightly used goods and delivering them to underserved neighbors, either through community groups that serve them or directly at innovative, joyful events called “mobile boutiques.”

Since March 2014, sixteen FGS mobile boutiques have been staged in churches and community centers around Contra Costa County offering adult and children's clothing, toys, and books to those in need, completely free of charge. To date, the FGS has served more than 3,500 people and given away more than 45,000 clothing items and 10,000 toys and books with a combined value exceeding $300,000.


Event: White Pony Express Free General Store
What: Free shopping experience for the students of E.M. Downer Elementary School and their families
When: Sunday, March 29, 11am-4pm
Where: E.M. Downer Elementary School, 1231 18th Street, San Pablo, CA 94806
Highlight: Wardrobe consultants will help shoppers select just the right clothing and styles
Bonus: White Pony Express will also provide a free mobile grocery, 3-4pm
Visit: www.freegeneralstore.org
Contact: Mary Brooks, mary@whiteponyexpress.org

Donations of funds, items, and personal time are welcome for the March 29 FGS mobile boutique. Businesses wanting to donate adult and children’s clothing and children’s books, toys, and games can call the Express Hotline at 925.322.0604 and leave a message. Those with questions about the program or how they might participate can contact Mary Brooks, 925-588-6988, mary@whiteponyexpress.org. Visit www.freegeneralstore.org for more information and to view event videos.

White Pony Express, www.whiteponyexpress.org
White Pony Express, WPE, is an all-volunteer organization headquartered in Walnut Creek. Through its Food Rescue Program and Free General Store, White Pony Express helps people move from the margins to the mainstream by providing free food and clothing. Carol Weyland Conner, PhD, spiritual director of Sufism Reoriented, founded White Pony Express in September 2013 when she discovered that many retail business owners would welcome a way to donate their surplus food and goods to neighbors in need if someone were able to pick up and deliver them. She developed White Pony Express and the Free General Store as free community service programs to enable those who have more than they need to easily give to those with less, so that all can share in the happiness and abundance of life. WPE is a qualified 501(c)(3) charity with 250 dedicated volunteers.