Cannabis Gives Back
Chaffee County Grown—Cultivating Community
KAYAK is proud to help cannabis give back through the Chaffee County Grown program, a collaboration that highlights locally grown cannabis products and encourages people to support local businesses. Buying locally grown products has far-reaching impacts that go beyond supporting the local economy. Local non-profits can apply for grants that are funded by Marijuana Excise Tax Advisory Board (METAB) Grant Program. Because of this, buying local has a much larger impact.
In 2022, 17 Chaffee County nonprofit organizations and public sector entities were awarded a total of $245,550. These funds went toward workforce and family housing, youth-focused programs, human services and public health.
The Chaffee County Grown Program includes 12 Peaks Farms, KAYAK, Antero Sciences and Vision Quest, all local companies that help fund the excise tax. The program places attention on locally grown products to make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase products that not only support local businesses, but also directly support non-profit organizations and the residents of Salida.
KAYAK and the other three companies in the Chaffee County Grown Program bring to life the essence of Salida. KAYAK has implemented a thorough composting program and has an on-site wastewater treatment plant. This allows them to conserve fresh water by re-using wastewater instead of disposing of it after a single use, making them a true steward of the local Arkansas River Basin. 12 Peaks Farms’ indoor grow uses automated environmental sensors and controls; a self-sufficient water system; an internal closed-loop water treatment plant; and has an extensive green-waste composting program. Vision Quest is a woman-owned and fully female team that uses living soil and organic growing methods. Antero Sciences is an owner-operated company that employs an in-house team of Chaffee-county residents who hand-trim every plant in their perpetual harvest. Together, these four companies are giving back to the community, the environment and the local economy.
To support the Chaffee County Grown program, look for the green and silver “Chaffee County Grown” emblem at Nature’s Medicine and other participating retailers to help these local companies continue to cultivate the Salida community.
Chaffee County non-profits are invited to apply for grant funding eligibility during METAB’s pre-application period, from November 20th through December 15th. The official grant period goes from December 15-January 31 and money will be awarded to approved recipients in March of 2024. Visit the METAB Grant Program website for more information about the grant, of fill out the form to apply.
