housing construction It was never a traditional nonprofit organization. Born in the midst of the AIDS crisis, the New York-based organization built an identity around urgency, survival, and care for the community. Thirty-five years later, that same structure is now fueling an unexpected but strategic expansion: cannabis retail.
in Housing Works Cannabis, Inc.the state’s first licensed adult-use dispensary and New York’s only 100% nonprofit cannabis retailer, Sasha Nagengent, vice president of cannabis retail, said its mission has remained intact even as the market has shifted around it.
“Equity has never been a campaign for us. It’s something we wholeheartedly believe in,” Nutgent said in an exclusive Q&A with us. “At our pharmacy, we saw an opportunity to embrace a newly legal industry and directly benefit communities harmed by the war on drugs.”
The approach is not symbolic. Nugent noted that 24% of the dispensary’s staff are law enforcement professionals, many of whom came through the cannabis re-entry program, which aims to build job skills and long-term opportunities within the legal industry from which they were previously excluded.
A retail model built from activism
Housing Works’ business strategy goes far beyond cannabis. Thrift stores, bookstores, and cafe spaces have long served as sources of revenue that go directly to housing, health care, and harm reduction programs for people living with HIV/AIDS.
“Our founders turned a crisis into a movement,” Nugent said. “From the urgency of the early AIDS epidemic, we became a national advocacy force while building sustainable businesses to support our mission.”
This hybrid model is becoming more important as public and private financing becomes increasingly volatile. Nutgent pointed to increased federal health support and increased financial pressure on nonprofit organizations as key challenges.
At the same time, the cannabis industry brings its own complexities. She emphasized the tax burden, known as. 280EThis will prevent legal dispensing pharmacies from being able to deduct standard business expenses, creating an additional burden on businesses already operating within the regulated market.
Staying current as DEI shifts nationally
As companies scale back their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, Housing Works is tilting rather than adjusting.
“At a time when many companies are scaling back their DEI commitments, equity is never an option for us,” Nutgent said. “It’s built into how we hire, train and operate.”
This includes ensuring that revenue from cannabis sales goes directly back into Housing Works programs, housing funding, health care access, and advocacy services for people affected by HIV/AIDS and systemic inequalities.
Cannabis with giving back to the community
with every purchase Housing Works Cannabis, Inc. This contributes to the nonprofit’s broader mission, and Nutgent describes the structure as intentionally integrated rather than fragmented.
“We don’t separate the mission from the business,” she said. “Our business is a mission.”
That philosophy extends to mentoring efforts for those affected by the war on drugs, offering training and employment avenues within the legal cannabis industry.
For the future: Expansion without mission drift
Despite financial and political pressures, Housing Works aims for long-term growth while maintaining its core identity.
“We continue to innovate new ways to generate revenue to advance our mission,” Nugent said. “Housing Works will continue to be at the forefront.”
She also highlighted the organization’s continued commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, which was severely affected by the early AIDS crisis and remains at the center of its advocacy efforts today.
“This initiative started with roots in the LGBTQ+ community,” she said. “We will continue to provide undivided attention, advocacy and resources where they are needed most.”
For Housing Works, this celebration is about momentum rather than a moment, proof that a nonprofit organization born in a crisis can evolve, expand, and stay rooted in care while working.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
