Bloom Farms Donates One Million Healthy Meals To Californians In Need, Raises Bar For Cannabis Industry

OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloom Farmstm, one of California's leading manufacturers and distributors of high quality cannabis products, donated its one millionth healthy meal to the state's nonprofit food banks, CEO Michael Ray announced today.

"We wanted to build a business that contributed to the communities we live and work in," Ray said.  "Donating our one-millionth meal shows that we're succeeding for our customers, who appreciate that we are working toward the greater good, and for California's most vulnerable families who have received the gift of nutritious food."

"I'd like to thank our customers, our dispensary partners and our 70 employees across California for making this possible," Ray said.  "We've seen the tremendous impact corporate responsibility initiatives in traditional industries have had and milestones like this show the impact cannabis companies can have and changing perceptions of the cannabis industry."

Bloom Farms donates money to food banks across California to cover the cost of sourcing and distributing a healthy meal; one item sold has equalled one healthy meal donated since it started its one-for-one program in December 2015.

5.4 million Californians don't know where their next meal is coming from, including the 2.1 million children who may go to bed hungry each night, according to the California Association for Food Banks. As a teenager Ray saw first-hand while growing up in Calaveras County, CA, with childhood friends who oftentimes were drawn to his family's house for home-cooked meals.

"Partnering with Bloom Farms has made all the difference for World Harvest LA and its clients," said Glen Curado, CEO of World Harvest LA Food Bank. "They not only contribute financially, but their staff volunteers with us as often as they can. It's an amazing company with extraordinary staff."

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services President and CEO Blake Young said: "What an incredible accomplishment! Donations like these from Bloom Farms are so impactful in our community!"

Bloom Farms directed 2017 Q4 donations to the Redwood Empire Food Bank in Santa Rosa, supporting Californians in need and those affected by the wildfires.

Bloom Farms gives its employees 4 hours of paid volunteer time each month ? many choose to volunteer with the company's partner food banks.

"Our one-for-one program provides our employees with an actual sense of purpose," said Ray. "Good people can work anywhere, but being a Bloom Farms employee and participating in these volunteer days and knowing that every purchase gives back to our most vulnerable neighbors gives us all something beyond a paycheck."

"Bloom Farms is a different kind of cannabis company, and our customers know that when they choose our products," said Keith J. Hart, Bloom Farms' Social Good Manager. "Our company's vision is to change the conversation around cannabis and one of our core values is to give something amazing back; our food bank partnership allows us to do both and we are excited to share this milestone with them."

For more information, visit http://getbloomfarms.com/.

About Bloom Farms

Bloom Farms is a California-based cannabis company that provides millions of people a safe and enjoyable way to relax, find relief, inspire creativity and enjoy life a little more. For this higher purpose, Bloom Farms is dedicated to producing high-quality, great tasting cannabis oil. Bloom Farms cannabis is sourced from responsible family farmers who care about the land, the environment, and most importantly, people. Bloom Farms has a commitment to corporate social responsibility and provides a healthy meal to regional partner food banks for each product it sells; provides its employees paid time off to volunteer; and sponsors events throughout California to help professionalize the cannabis industry including hosting Cannabis Career & Job Fairs in San Francisco and Los Angeles. In July 2017, Bloom Farms was recognized as one of the Top 100 corporate philanthropists in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times.

SOURCE Bloom Farms