In Contra Costa County, the Concord-based nonprofit White Pony Express (WPE) is stepping up in a major way, launching one of its largest emergency efforts to date — a countywide food drive running now through Nov. 30. The drive calls on residents, schools, faith groups and local businesses to donate shelf-stable food and funds to help offset the loss of federal food aid.

“When I learned the federal government was suspending SNAP benefits, I felt shock and disbelief, followed by resolve,” said Eve Birge, WPE’s chief executive officer. “You don’t leave families without a lifeline and hope this calamity sorts itself out.”

Within hours of the announcement, Birge said her team went into “emergency response mode.”

“We identified the public pantries we serve that we knew would be seeing longer

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