TL;DR
- Housing Works celebrates 35 years of HIV/AIDS advocacy.
- They’ve expanded into cannabis retail, benefiting affected communities.
- 24% of their dispensary staff are justice-involved individuals.
- Their mission integrates equity into every business aspect.
- Housing Works remains committed to LGBTQ+ communities.
Housing Works has never been your run-of-the-mill nonprofit. Founded during the tumultuous AIDS crisis, this New York-based organization has always been about urgency, survival, and community care. Fast forward 35 years, and they’re now making waves in an unexpected arena: cannabis retail. At the forefront of this venture is Housing Works Cannabis Co, the state’s first licensed adult-use dispensary and New York’s only 100% nonprofit cannabis retailer. Vice President of Cannabis Retail, Sasha Nutgent, insists that while the marketplace may be changing, their mission remains rock solid.
“Equity has never been a campaign for us, it’s something we fully believe in,” Nutgent declared in an exclusive Q&A. “With our dispensary, we saw an opportunity to take a newly legal industry and make it directly benefit communities harmed by the War on Drugs.” And they’re not just paying lip service to this promise. Nutgent highlighted that 24% of their dispensary staff are justice-involved individuals, many of whom entered through a cannabis re-entry program designed to build job skills and long-term opportunities in a legal industry that once excluded them.
But Housing Works’ business strategy isn’t just about cannabis. They’ve long operated thrift shops, bookstores, and café spaces that serve as revenue engines, directly funding housing, healthcare, and harm reduction programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. “Our founders turned crisis into movement,” Nutgent said, emphasizing how out of the urgency of the early AIDS epidemic, they became a national advocacy force while building sustainable businesses to support their mission.
As funding from public and private sectors becomes increasingly unstable, this hybrid model is more relevant than ever. Nutgent pointed to tightening federal healthcare support and rising financial pressure on nonprofits as significant challenges. And let’s not forget the cannabis industry’s own set of complications, including the notorious tax burden known as 280E, which prevents legal dispensaries from deducting standard business expenses. Talk about a buzzkill!
While many corporations are scaling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments, Housing Works is doubling down. “At a time when many companies are rolling back DEI commitments, equity has never been optional for us,” Nutgent stated. “It’s embedded in how we hire, train, and operate.” This commitment ensures that revenue from cannabis sales flows directly back into Housing Works programs, funding housing, healthcare access, and advocacy services for those impacted by HIV/AIDS and systemic inequities.
Every purchase at Housing Works Cannabis Co contributes to the broader mission, a structure Nutgent describes as intentionally unified rather than segmented. “We don’t separate mission from business,” she said. “Our business is the mission.” This philosophy extends into mentorship efforts for those affected by the War on Drugs, offering training and employment pathways within the legal cannabis industry.
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Looking ahead, Housing Works is positioning itself for long-term growth while staying true to its core identity. “We will continue to innovate new ways to create revenue to drive our mission forward,” Nutgent said. “Housing Works will stay on the forefront.” She also emphasized the organization’s unwavering commitment to LGBTQ+ communities, which were deeply impacted during the early AIDS crisis and remain central to its advocacy today. “This work started and is rooted in the LGBTQ+ community,” she affirmed. “We will continue showing up with care, advocacy, and resources where they’re needed most.”
For Housing Works, this celebration is less about a moment and more about momentum—proof that a nonprofit born in crisis can still evolve, expand, and stay rooted in care while doing it. So, if you’re looking to support a cause that’s truly making a difference, consider stopping by Housing Works Cannabis Co. You’ll be getting high on good vibes and even better intentions.