This post was originally published on this site.
Syracuse, NY — A new Syracuse non-profit aimed at youth transitioning out of the criminal justice system was one of four locally who won inaugural grants from the state’s cannabis reinvestment program.
Exalt Youth, a New York City-based non-profit, came to Syracuse this summer with help from a $1.5 million state grant announced a year ago. It provides youth skill development courses, paid internships and mentors.
The cannabis reinvestment program is funded by taxes collected on legal cannabis sales. Grant winners do not need to have ties to cannabis; they only need to have connections to communities disproportionately impacted by past drug enforcement.
Other local winners of $100,000 grants were:
- Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, a volunteer group that supports the zoo at Burnet Park.
- Aurora of Central New York, which provides services to people who suffer from visual and hearing impairment.
- East Hill Family Medical, a family primary care practice in Auburn.
Separately, the state announced Wednesday that it had awarded nearly $10 million statewide in grants from opioid settlement money, paid for by pharmaceutical companies who admitted wrongdoing for their role in the opioid epidemic.
Those grants included $300,000 for Syracuse-based Helio Health’s non-medical transport services, which include ferrying people back and forth from substance use treatment programs.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.