The Cannabis Community Gives Back Even if it Gets Turned Away

The holiday season has snuck upon us once again. Before you know it, all of the winter holidays will be here and gone. During this time, a lot of families across the nation receive holiday cheer and inspiration through caring charitable contributions. Many different people, groups, and organizations work to help provide meals and gifts for families throughout the holidays. As many of these organizations will tell you, there is never enough to cover all the needs. It would seem the more, the merrier when it would come to financial contributions and/or gift contributions to organizations and people looking to help others during the holidays. Most of the time, this is true. The only exception to this is if you work with cannabis. If you work with cannabis and are looking to make charitable contributions, you might find it to be a little more difficult than you think.

Every year at this time, many people give thanks for the big meals they’re enjoying, the homes they have, their health, family, friends, and more. Sadly, each year, more Americans find themselves living in poverty and unable to afford the basics of a Thanksgiving dinner. This is when helping hands across our Nation reach out to embrace and help families state to state to have a Thanksgiving plate.

It Takes a Village

Many different charity groups, organizations, and community care staff work together to facilitate the gathering and collection of food for families. Baskets and boxes are taken out before Thanksgiving and even on the big day itself, giving meals to families and individuals that would otherwise go without them. The holidays are a time to remind us to give thanks for what we have. It is also a time when we should realize and be thankful that we have the ability to help others who might not have quite as much to be thankful for.

When it comes time for charitable contributions, many cannabis businesses have been turned away from donating because their donations come specifically from cannabis money. Because of current federal regulations making cannabis a Schedule One drug, many organizations are hesitant or not even willing to accept donations from cannabis businesses.

One Man’s Pledge Backed by Cannabis Care

Thankfully, this Thanksgiving we are starting to see a break in this annoying trend. Five hundred families across metro Detroit got a great surprise on their Thanksgiving table thanks to a cannabis dispensary named Greenhouse of Walled Lake.

Owner Jerry Mullen grew up in a suburban Detroit home and was no stranger to wondering where the next meal might come from. Jerry also knows that the community is struggling on a financial level because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jerry was inspired to help give thanks by pledging to make sure at least 500 local Detroit metro area families will have turkey for Thanksgiving dinner this year. This is the kind of good news about cannabis dispensaries giving back to the community any of us can gobble up with joy.

Jerry Millen didn’t stop at the 500 turkey mark. He also donated 100 turkeys that were given away through the Hospitality House of Commerce Township. When asked about the Thanksgiving turkey donations, Millen said,

“So many families are dealing with financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors and I want to assist them so they can have a meaningful Thanksgiving. I am proud that the Greenhouse of Walled Lake can step up and meet this challenge so our friends, neighbors, and customers can enjoy the holiday.”

The Cannabis Community Cares but Are Sometimes Turned Away Because of Stigma

Cannabis businesses have had one heck of a time trying to help out their local community. Cannabis companies across the nation have attempted to reach out, donating all sorts of financial services and goods, only to be rejected. A medical cannabis company in Massachusetts named Commonwealth Cannabis attempted to donate $1,466.41 to a homeless center that ended up rejecting the donation because the money was coming from what they call a ‘pot shop’. Boston has seen success in accepting donations from cannabis businesses. Garden Remedies was able to successfully donate gifts to multiple nonprofits such as the New England Veterans Alliance, the ASPCA, and the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Still, countless places will refuse donations of gifts and money from cannabis businesses because of the stigma developed over decades of negative propaganda. As states begin to end prohibition and citizens across our nation urge lawmakers on a federal level to legalize cannabis, hopefully, we will see more doors open to the acceptance of charitable contributions from cannabis companies. It just seems silly to think that somewhere out there, someone in need or even a child is going without a meal or a holiday gift because an organization would not accept charitable contributions from a cannabis company or business.