BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), the nation’s oldest continuously operating dispensary and pioneer in the cannabis space, will celebrate its 20th anniversary this October with the launch of $1MM for Good, a campaign to donate one million dollars to 10 nonprofits over 10 years.
“We’ve weathered countless storms to get to where we are today and proud of what we’ve accomplished – from winning a historic battle against the federal government, to being honored with the ‘Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition’ by US Congresswoman Barbara Lee,” says Étienne Fontán, co-founder and vice president of Berkeley Patients Group. “However, there is still more work to be done in this rapidly growing and evolving industry, and we are just getting started.”
BPG’s $1MM for Good Campaign centers on the brand’s mission to do business for good - good for their patrons, good for their community, and good for their industry. The nonprofits at the heart of this campaign include healthcare, re-reentry support, affordable housing/homelessness, the LGBTQ+ community, the environment and more. Each month, BPG will highlight a different community partner and drive funds to that organization through awareness campaigns, staff volunteers, and donations from sales of supporting brand partners.
“BPG is more than just a cannabis dispensary, it's a Berkeley institution,” says Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin. “As stewards of the cannabis industry for 20 years, BPG’s leadership team of activists has fought long and hard to provide safe and affordable access to quality medicine and life-enhancing services for Bay Area residents. Their long-standing history is a testament to its sincere dedication to the community they serve. We are thrilled to see them renew that commitment and are proud to be the home to one of California’s most reputable and successful dispensaries.”
“The power of cannabis to improve people’s lives has been the driving force behind everything we do since BPG opened its doors in 1999,” notes Fontán. “We’ve always placed a laser focus on social responsibility and philanthropy, so this campaign not only perfectly reflects how we want to commemorate this important milestone, but also how we plan to be a model for the industry in this new era of legalization.”
On October 1, 2019, BPG will hold a private celebration from 8-10 a.m. at the dispensary to commemorate its 20th anniversary, where each nonprofit partner will be presented their first $5,000 donation.
Nonprofits include:
- Battle Brothers Foundation: Empowers veterans through community-based personal development, economic upward mobility, and progressive medical treatments to better their lives and the lives of their families.
- Berkeley Free Clinic: Empowers individuals and communities by providing accessible, client-centered health services and information.
- Berkeley Humane: Serves the people and animals of Berkeley by providing life-saving programs for cats and dogs, cultivating compassion, and strengthening the human-animal bond.
- BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency): Helps homeless, poor, and disabled people achieve health and self-sufficiency, and fights against the root causes of poverty and homelessness.
- Kingmakers of Oakland: Seeks to decrease suspensions and increase attendance; decrease incarceration and increase graduation rates; decrease the opportunity gap and increase the literacy of African American communities.
- La Peña Cultural Center: Vibrant non-profit community cultural center with a global vision that promotes social justice, arts participation, and intercultural understanding through events, performances and classes rooted in Latin American cultural traditions and beyond.
- Pacific Center: Delivers LGBTQ-proficient mental health and wellness services, as well as training, for a strong and inclusive community of LGBTQ-proficient mental health care professionals.
- Planting Justice: Empowers people impacted by mass incarceration and other social inequities with the skills and resources to cultivate food sovereignty, economic justice, and community healing.
- Supernova Women: Empowers women of color to become self-sufficient shareholders in the evolving cannabis economy through holistic education, advocacy training, skills acquisition and advocacy.
- Women’s Cancer Resource Center: Creates opportunities for women with cancer to improve their quality of life through education, supportive services, and practical assistance.
Through the month of October, patients and community members are invited to enjoy BPG sales on popular products, as well as merchandise and swag from California's top cannabis brands, including Bloom Farms, Caliva, Care by Design, Flow Kana, Loud & Clear, Old Pal, Papa & Barkley, PLUS, and Utopia. Visit myBPG.com for more details on hours of operation, sales, and events in October.
About Berkeley Patients Group (BPG)
BPG opened its doors on October 31, 1999 in Berkeley, California with the mission of providing safe and affordable access to quality medicine and life-enhancing services to Bay Area patients suffering from serious illnesses. Their philosophy of putting patients before all else compels the leadership team to be a philanthropic force in the Berkeley community, and is regarded as an industry leader in self-regulation, as well as the development of industry best practices. BPG’s vision for legal integrity has solidified the dispensary as a pioneer in the cannabis space. The company is a California state licensed adult use and medicinal cannabis dispensary. The store is located at 2366 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA, 94702.
For more information, visit myBPG.com, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
