Green Thumb Industries, a leading cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of Rise™ Dispensaries, is expanding key partnerships and creating scholarships earmarked for those from communities most impacted by the war on drugs as part of its corporate social responsibility program. The scholarships will be granted to a total of four students for programs at the Cleveland School of Cannabis in Ohio and Olive-Harvey College in Illinois. Additionally, Green Thumb will continue its support of Cabrini Green Legal Aid and partner with the North Lawndale Employment Network in Chicago as part of ongoing collaborations that include financial support, volunteerism and awareness initiatives.
Building on the foundation of Green Thumb’s LEAP initiative, which provided pro-bono support for social equity license applicants in Illinois and which will soon offer business incubator resources to newly awarded social equity entrepreneurs, these impactful partnerships mark a critical next step in prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cannabis industry.
“Education is the foundation of opportunity and the Green Thumb team is honored to support scholarships that create pipelines of diversity into the cannabis industry, specifically by partnering with nonprofits that address issues facing communities disproportionally impacted by the war on drugs,” said Green Thumb Corporate Social Responsibility Director Michael Fields. “We believe it is our responsibility to continue to help reduce barriers to entry, increase diversity and promote opportunity throughout the industry.”
The programs with available scholarships include:
Cleveland School of Cannabis: The Cleveland School of cannabis will award a “Resilience Scholarship” to two students impacted by the war on drugs, as determined by an independent application review committee, funded by Green Thumb. The mission of the Cleveland School of Cannabis is to foster adult learning through high-quality, residential and online education that integrates personal development along with career-oriented skills and knowledge related to cannabis, science, and business, to prepare graduates for entry-level employment in the industry. Tuition covers all resources and fees needed to complete the 150-hour on-line cannabis certificate program. For more information visit www.csceducation.com.
“Without education any plans for equity will not be sustainable. We are grateful to Green Thumb for their support in helping us achieve our goals,” said Vice President of CSC Kevin Green.
Olive-Harvey College: The mission of the Cannabis Studies program at City Colleges of Chicago is to educate the future workforce, activists, thought leaders and entrepreneurs in the Illinois cannabis industry and empower individuals who have been disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs through restorative justice. The two scholarships will cover tuition and all resources and fees needed to complete the 11-credit certificate course. For more information visit www.ccc.edu.
“Olive-Harvey College is grateful for partners such as Green Thumb, who support our program with speaker series, engagement and tuition support,” said Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Olive-Harvey College Amanda Gettes.
Those interested in applying for scholarships should contact the schools directly.
Green Thumb is also partnering with the following nonprofit organizations undertaking necessary and important work in Chicago:
Cabrini Green Legal Aid: Established in 1973, CGLA’s mission is to seek justice and mercy for those living in poverty by providing legal services that strengthen individual lives, families, and communities. They aim to proactively fill the void of legal representation, wraparound services, and advocacy for individuals affected by the criminal justice system. Green Thumb volunteers will continue to work with CGLA’s team to provide a variety of legal services associated with criminal records relief services. For more information visit www.cgla.net.
“CGLA is extremely excited to partner with Green Thumb as we collaborate to fulfill the social equity components of the Illinois’ Cannabis Act. It is extremely important for us to remove the barriers that prevent access to ownership and employment in the industry for individuals and communities negatively impacted by the criminal justice system. We are grateful for what this partnership will bring and look forward to welcoming Green Thumb volunteers into the CGLA family,” said Cabrini Green Legal Aid Executive Director Esther Franco-Payne.
North Lawndale Employment Network: NLEN serves under and unemployed residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood and surrounding communities. Clients include citizens returning from incarceration and others who face the day-to-day hardships of living without enough income to support themselves and their families. In addition to contributing financial resources, the Green Thumb team will work closely with NLEN to help deliver necessary and important services to their clientele. For more information visit www.nlen.org.
“We are thrilled to partner with Green Thumb to further improve the quality of life and bridge the racial wealth gap through advancing digital inclusion on Chicago’s West Side. I know that much good will grow from our partnership,” said Executive Director of the North Lawndale Employment Network Brenda Palms Barber.
