Weed seed program

Yes, I am at least twenty-one 21 years of age or am otherwise a qualified patient. Thank you! You have joined us on a journey fraught with challenges but with potential to realize some pretty big wins.

Despite these wins, we still have a long way to go in doing our part to achieve a socially equitable cannabis industry, with more Black and Brown participation at every level. While the cannabis industry itself is not new, this current regulated phase is still in its relative infancy. And, as is often the case, those with the most resources and access to the right networks were the first to the table. Frankly, that means there were mostly white men in position to be the earliest success stories of regulated cannabis, while opportunities for participation were delayed, and sometimes denied to Black and Brown people — despite Black and Brown communities having been destroyed by the policies of criminalization.

When we design programming and provide support to community organizations, we are considering what we need to have a fair opportunity to be successful in the regulated cannabis industry. An equitable, regulated cannabis industry will not happen overnight. Through our restorative justice initiatives, we commit to elevating people whose lives have been impacted by the War on Drugs by working to remedy those harms.

The Community Business Incubator is designed to empower and jumpstart the creation of minority owned cannabis businesses. The Community Business Incubator serves entrepreneurs negatively impacted by the War on Drugs, who are interested in starting their own cannabis business or expanding their current business into the cannabis industry. This curriculum was designed to help individuals develop the skills needed to strategically and successfully enter the cannabis industry.

Cresco Labs staff serve on the Olive Harvey Cannabis Advisory Council, as adjunct faculty, and as a community partner. Cresco Labs staff serves on the Moraine Valley curriculum committee and assisted with the development of their Retail Cannabis Retail Specialist Certificate.

Determine the single highest-payoff activity would be for your neighborhood, and concentrate on that until it is working extremely well. Results will take time. The Weed and Seed program was a five-year program, after which sites "graduated" but still received a reduced level of help. As people who have work on urban issues know, criminals often simply move around seeking the most vulnerable communities. So design a durable and flexible program, adjusting and updating the advisory committee frequently.

Drug demand, drug supply, gang territory, and crime hot spots all are subject to very frequent revision, based in part on results achieved by the anti-social behavior. Since this is a community development website, let's point you toward the pages that might be very relevant and helpful for a community trying to address their drug, alcohol, gun, violence, and unemployed ex-offender issues.

Revitalization is very useful in fighting criminal activity because it usually brings more residents, and a more stable class of residents who are dedicated to remaining in the neighborhood long-term. Here are the top eight pages that probably would help a crime-infested area become a better place to live:. Community mental health. Typically I didn't see even Weed and Seed programs go far enough in supporting general mental health and relationship skills, which is the only way to prevent drug abuse and addictions of all types.

To be excellent with your local program, you should attempt to attract mental health professionals who can help heal some of the brokenness. Long-term success means helping the children who've seen all this nonsense in their neighborhoods become hopeful, grounded, and involved adults. Often you have to do this in the context of mediocre to failing schools. The obstacles are high. In most cases a gang-ridden and drug-crippled community will need to attract physical development or redevelopment.

Community poverty. Since the spikes in criminal activity always coincide with downturns in the economy, it's easy to demonstrate a connection between poverty and crime. Neighborhood associations. This page explains how to start a neighborhood association and to some extent, how to grow it and keep it successful. You need to include the grassroots folks. More of them will come out to meetings if the fear factor diminishes.

The U. Small Business Administration administers a microloan program for business start-up. As part of the revitalization effort, it's possible to cultivate potential entrepreneurs who live right in the neighborhood. Microfinance often provides only a small amount, but can allow at least one person the opportunity to make an honest living.

It's highly recommended that you become aware of this program. Even before a microloan, often a person or household must start learning to save small amounts of money. An impactful aid in beginning a regular savings program is the individual development accounts idea.

Abandoned buildings. Vacant buildings and lots are hangouts for many types of counterproductive behavior, so don't give it a place to happen. This can be another area that complements a program similar to Weed and Seed. This isn't to imply that homeless people are criminals or drug users, but failure to deal with the homeless population can make them either targets or perpetrators if they become desperate. In general, learn all you can about successful community building, and if you click around this site, or check the Sitemap or search box below, you'll find many resources relevant to your neighborhood.

Unsubscribe any time. Give it a try. Copyright , by Nancy Thompson, www. All rights reserved. Protected by Copyscape Plagiarism Checker. Site is not legal advice.