Cannabis Team Sets $50K Fundraising Goal for Housing Works' Annual Ride From Philadelphia to NYC, Championing Health Equity and Lifesaving Services

NEW YORK, July 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Housing Works Cannabis Co (HWCC), New York's first and only 100% nonprofit adult-use dispensary, is proud to join its parent organization Housing Works in the 2025 BRAKING AIDS® Ride. The two-day cycling event, taking place Sept. 13–14, will take riders from Philadelphia to New York City to raise vital funds and awareness for Housing Works' mission to end the dual crises of HIV/AIDS and homelessness. This year, the cannabis industry is riding alongside to help amplify the cause.

In a first for the event, a dedicated cannabis industry team has formed, uniting riders from Housing Works Cannabis Co and partners across the sector. The collective team aims to raise $50,000 in support of Housing Works' lifesaving services. Leading the charge is a $15,000 sponsorship from Curaleaf, helping to kickstart the campaign and encouraging other cannabis companies to ride or contribute.

"Cannabis has always been rooted in community—and that's exactly what the BRAKING AIDS Ride is about," said Sasha Nutgent, Vice President of Cannabis Retail for Housing Works Cannabis Co. "We're proud to represent an industry that knows what it means to fight for care, for dignity, and for equity. This ride is a powerful reminder of the progress we've made, and the work still ahead."

As New York's first nonprofit cannabis dispensary, Housing Works Cannabis Co is uniquely positioned to rally support for this cause, one deeply tied to the organization's roots and mission. Its first dispensary opened in 2022 as an extension of Housing Works' decades-long fight for health equity and social justice, and the cannabis arm continues to grow—the second HWCC location opened in NoMad in 2024.

Housing Works CEO and Co-Founder Charles King will once again participate in the Ride, continuing his personal commitment to the cause and to the community-based activism that has driven the organization for more than 30 years.

"Revenue from the Braking AIDS Ride has fueled our efforts to end HIV as an epidemic in New York and around the United States. We have seen a steady decrease in new infections of HIV such that all-cause mortality now exceeds new infections, but there is still much more work to be done. We need to increase prevention treatment among Black and Native American populations, and we need to ensure housing stability for low-income people living with HIV across the state. Since we opened the first and only non-profit adult-use cannabis dispensary, the industry has rallied behind our collective mission to end HIV, and their support of the Ride is helping to ensure that we will one day be able to look back at the HIV epidemic in New York as a thing of the past."

The 2025 Ride is also supported by major sponsors including ViiV Healthcare and Amida Care, demonstrating Housing Works' role as a leading platform for advocacy, community mobilization and funding for direct services. Funds raised directly support Housing Works' comprehensive programs, including supportive housing, primary care, mental health counseling, harm reduction and legal services.

Housing Works Cannabis Co invites fellow cannabis companies to get involved—whether by riding, sponsoring or donating—in a show of solidarity and collective action.

To join the ride or make a donation, visit brakingaidsride.org.

About Housing Works Cannabis Co
Housing Works Cannabis Co, founded in 2022, is New York's first licensed cannabis retailer and delivery service, and the first recipient of the state's CAURD social equity license. As an extension of Housing Works' long-standing nonprofit retail network—including popular thrift stores across New York City and a bookstore cafe in SoHo—Housing Works Cannabis Co now includes two dispensaries: its flagship Broadway location and the newest store in NoMad. This expansion furthers the organization's mission to combat social injustices throughout the city, with proceeds directly supporting Housing Works' efforts to address issues such as housing inequality, discrimination and healthcare disparities for New Yorkers impacted by HIV/AIDS, homelessness, substance use, and/or the criminal justice system. Through cannabis sales, education, and job opportunities, Housing Works Cannabis Co models the positive role cannabis can play in empowering and uplifting communities. Learn more at hwcannabis.co.

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SOURCE Housing Works