US Hemp Brokerage (USHB) founder Jeff Cole this week announced his sponsorship of Hero Project USA, a new nonprofit organization created to give the cannabis industry a way to give back to American veterans by providing them with financial assistance, job training and housing.
The annual goal of Hero Project USA is to raise $1 million for veteran charities that help solve problems like homelessness, poverty, domestic abuse, drug abuse, depression, PTSD and suicide.
“I am very passionate about this cause because veterans lack access to healthy cannabis-based therapies,” said Cole. “They put their life on the line and come home to face damaging pharmaceutical treatments when more natural and sensible options need to be available.”
Hero Project USA’s strategy is to raise donations to support veteran charities through the sale of Hero-branded products and connect cannabis businesses to organizations that support veteran causes. The veteran charities that work with Hero Project USA serve as both customers and brand ambassadors. These partners gain no-cost publicity through the Hero Project USA website, email campaigns, social media, audio and video promotions.
Local Impact
A generous portion of the profit from the sale of these products will go to a veteran charity chosen by the local business. This larger share to the charity is built into the Hero Project USA’s model and is designed to set it apart from other organizations by creating a greater financial impact.
“For as long as there has been a concept of freedom and a United States of America, there have been veterans suffering immense physical and mental traumas as the price of that freedom,” said Anton Harb Jr., founder of Michigan Veterans for Cannabis Network. “Despite our calls for help, our elected officials continue their hostility toward the idea of utilizing cannabis to help ease our suffering. Hero Project USA aims to provide invaluable resources to help enact real impact into the lives of our community’s veterans.”
The Canna Social Equity Fund serves as the project’s fiduciary for all donations. The fund was established to help cannabis licensees meet social equity and community development requirements set by state and local governments.
“The Canna Social Equity Fund was designed to provide overarching community development support to those in the cannabis industry who are committed to substantive community change,” said Canna Social Equity Fund Executive Director Connie Maxim-Sparrow. “Hero Project USA is a great example of how the Canna Social Equity Fund can support the efforts of like-minded businesses interested in changing the lives of the people around them, especifically veterans.”
The Canna Social Equity Fund was established in 2017 to support Cannabis operators interested in donating funds to support comprehensive, equitable community development activities at the local level.
The fund fosters social equity while bringing economic development to communities across the state. Fund supporters believe in growing local, supporting their local communities, and providing economic opportunity in the places that they live, work and play.
Since 2015, the leadership and associate team members of Boulder, Colo.-based USHB have actively farmed industrial hemp, developed hemp brands, and marketed them to local, regional and national wholesale and retail clients, including such natural, conventional and specialty retail leaders as Lucky’s Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Giant Eagle, Target, CVS and other mass and natural grocery chains.
