As North America’s leader in indoor and hydroponic growing products, our subsidiary Hawthorne has sought to use its influence and resources to help shape criminal justice reform related to cannabis prohibition and create a more equitable post-prohibition cannabis industry.
The largest single grant to date of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation’s Hawthorne Social Justice Fund will support four John R. Lewis Social Justice Fellows within the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. The Fund is providing $600,000 over two years for the fellows to focus on research related to cannabis policy and social justice reform and to propose solutions to Congress. These are the first John R. Lewis fellows dedicated to cannabis issues.
“There is no doubt that cannabis laws have led to systemic racial and social inequities, and we are grateful to be able to join with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in finding ways to address this critical issue,” said Chris Hagedorn, division president of Hawthorne Gardening Company and executive vice president of ScottsMiracle-Gro. “We’re also proud to be affiliated with a program named for John Lewis, whose lifelong commitment to social justice continues to inspire millions of Americans. It is our hope the four John Lewis fellows will inform the debate related to cannabis reform and work directly with policy makers in establishing a framework for impactful and positive change in Black communities.”
Stay tuned to our social channels as the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation names the fellows. We will be sharing updates on the fellows themselves and the goals of their efforts during the two years.
Through the Hawthorne Social Justice Fund, we will continue to drive positive changes in our communities by supporting organizations that commit to addressing social injustice. For more on our commitment to cultivating strong communities, read our full 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report.
