Good Green, a cannabis brand owned by Green Thumb Industries, invests in communities disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs through its grant program
Good Green, a cannabis flower brand owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc. (Green Thumb) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), today announced the third group of nonprofit organizations to receive unrestricted funding as part of its grant program.
“Just over a year ago, Good Green was launched with the goal of creating opportunity within Black and Brown communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs,” said Green Thumb Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler. “Since then, the grant program has funded a spectrum of meaningful, mission-driven initiatives to foster change and help repair cannabis-related injustices. We are honored to support four additional organizations in their efforts to rectify the wrongs of cannabis prohibition and uplift those negatively affected.”
First launched in the fall of 2021, Good Green offers high-quality and affordable flower products. The brand aims to reinvest cannabis dollars back into communities disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs by awarding grants to nonprofit organizations working in one or more of Good Green’s core pillars: expungement, education and employment. The four organizations will receive unrestricted grants of $50,000 to advance their missions. Good Green’s third round of beneficiaries includes nonprofit organizations based in New Jersey, Illinois and Virginia:
- The Petey Greene Program (New Jersey): The Petey Greene Program (PGP) supports the academic goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals through high-quality volunteer tutoring programs, while educating volunteers on the injustice manifest in the United States’ carceral system. Since its founding in 2008, the PGP has supported more than 16,000 system-impacted learners, most of whom were pursuing their GED or high school diploma.
“Despite the significant need, the Petey Greene Program is one of just a handful of organizations that focuses on the academic achievement of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students at the pre-collegiate level. With the generous support of Good Green, our team will have the resources to tutor exponentially more people as they strive to reach their educational goals.” – Chiara Benetollo, Director of Program Development - Minority Cannabis Academy (New Jersey): Minority Cannabis Academy is a workforce development program that offers comprehensive cannabis education to disenfranchised communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. The organization’s program courses are instructor-led by subject matter experts and free of charge to students. Minority Cannabis Academy also provides job placement for students upon completion of the eight-week course.
“Good Green’s grant gives our team the opportunity to hire new educators, secure a facility for our upcoming cohort, purchase learning materials and much more as we educate the next generation of cannabis industry leaders. We are grateful for Good Green’s belief in our mission and look forward to serving the Jersey City community and beyond.” – Brendon Robinson, President - CEIC Corp (DBA Cannabis Equity IL Coalition) (Illinois): The Coalition is a community-led organization providing support services for individuals returning from incarceration to clear their criminal records and access wraparound services. The Coalition advocates for the expansion of automatic expungement and other policy solutions to end the War on Drugs and support community members in the reentry process.
“For those with cannabis offenses, expungement and record sealing are essential means to creating a fresh start in life and rejoining the community. We would like to express our appreciation for the Good Green team, as their funding will allow us to connect individuals to these necessary legal services while offering reentry programs such as housing, food assistance, ID services and more.” – Douglas Kelly, Executive Director - Nolef Turns Inc. (Virginia): Nolef Turns Inc. strives to decrease the prison population by supporting and empowering those most affected by crime, trauma and incarceration. The organization provides direct service for individuals with court and justice involvement, participates in advocacy and trains those directly impacted by mass incarceration.
“Nolef Turns Inc. exists to build a network of resources for individuals to help them thrive post-conviction, fighting against an unjust judicial system to help end mass incarceration. The Good Green Grant Program will be crucial in building up that network and fostering positive change in the lives of those affected by incarceration.” – Sheba Williams, Executive Director
Good Green is committed to bringing responsible consumers and change-making organizations together to create real, lasting progress against the War on Drugs. The brand’s current product offerings, including indica, sativa and hybrid flower, are available in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
