Kushman’s Gives Back to the Community In a Big Way
Editor’s note: the following story is about one of our Live in Everett Members. Our awesome Members help power Live in Everett. You can learn more about them here.
Images courtesy of Pacific Northwest Regional Strategies.
What does a cannabis retailer have to do with volunteering and community?
Well, when it comes to Kushman’s, a lot. I had the opportunity to learn this first hand, even before Kushman’s became a Live in Everett Member.
I run the Westmont-Holly Neighborhood Association in southwest Everett and lead a campus clean-up for the three neighborhood schools in August each year. It can be hard to find volunteers during summer with travel and other fun things to do besides cleaning up trash.
My neighbor Liz Vogeli was using the office space next door to the Everett Kushman’s location on Evergreen Way when she was running for re-election to the Everett City Council and mentioned to Kushman’s staff that we needed help.
The Kushman’s team signed up and showed up in a big way.
Kristina Franklin and a couple of volunteers at Horizon Elementary.
Because I was running three school locations, I was not able to stop by Kushman’s assigned location at Horizon Elementary on Casino Road until near the end of the clean-up. When I arrived I was blown away by how many Kushman’s volunteers had shown up. Not only did they support the clean-up effort, they had reached out to a couple of other retailers who had also had volunteers in attendance. They were just wrapping things up and they had taken care of every last detail that needed to be done. I was so impressed and filled with gratitude.
Kushman’s volunteers were like professional volunteers! They showed up, got organized, worked hard and got the job done.
Kushman’s grand opening was well attended by elected leaders and service organizations.
Kushman’s values giving back to the community. During the pandemic alone, they've partnered with other local cannabis retailers and at last count have collectively donated over $25,000 to various service organizations and nonprofits working to help the community. As part of an effort to support other local small businesses, they regularly also order food from local restaurants to feed their employees.
In collaboration with the other cannabis retailers, they purchased 15,000 FDA Certified surgical masks to donate to first responders and other organizations at the start of the pandemic when PPE was difficult to acquire. Some of these masks went directly to the Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management, and some when to other organizations like Childstrive. Childstrive is an organization that works with families to support children’s success. These masks were intended to help allow caseworkers to resume their important face to face outreach to families.
Kushman’s helped donate critically needed masks to Snohomish County Emergency Management.
Kushman’s is a strong supporter of the non-profit Realm of Caring Foundation, a cannabis education, research and support organization. Realm of Caring was founded by the mother of a young child named Charlotte who suffered from seizures related to Davet syndrome. She was able to find relief from her seizures with CBD but sadly passed away this past April from an apparent COVID-19 infection. Because of the relief Charlotte and others have found from CBD, Kushman’s was inspired to include medicinal cannabis in their offerings.
In addition to Live in Everett, in recent years Kushman’s has sponsored a Young Professionals Networking Event by Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC), EASC as a Member/Investor, Everett Fisherman’s Village Music Festival, numerous Herald and other local newspaper advertising, donations to food banks and food pantries and other local non-profits including Childstrive, Housing Hope, Leadership Snohomish County (LSC) and others. They recently sponsored LSC’s recent Step Up Racial Equity conference and encouraged other local cannabis retailers to do the same, resulting in additional sponsorships for the conference.
Alex Lark accepts Kushman’s donation to Housing Hope.
Speaking of LSC, it’s a fantastic program that cultivates community leaders and has built a vast network of people doing good things in the community. During a recent conversation with Kushman’s GM, Kristina Franklin, I learned she graduated from LSC this past spring and I graduated in 2018.
Small world.
Or maybe not-so-small when it comes to those who are actively engaged in our community. Kushman’s has no intention to slow down. “We strongly believe in the power of partnerships and working collaboratively to support and improve our communities,” said Kristina.
Kushman’s is currently in the process of developing a corporate-social responsibility plan as a result of a recent impact project they worked on with members of the 2020 LSC Signature Class.
Last year, Kristina set a goal to do more volunteering. Her team of budtenders wants to give back to and help build community. Due to the pandemic, sadly most things have been canceled, including my school clean-up. But the next time you need volunteers, give Kristina a call and she might be able to send a crew of the most professional volunteers.
Kushman’s
8911 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98208
425-512-0182
Kristina Franklin
General Manager
(425) 515-0777
GM@shopkushmans.com
Linda War Bonnet represents south Everett on the Live in Everett Team. When she isn’t working, she is running the Westmont-Holly Neighborhood Association. You might spot her walking her dog in the Holly neighborhood.
