Housing Works Marks 35 Years of Service as Housing Works Cannabis Co Celebrates 3 Years as New York's Only 100% Charity Dispensary

Nonprofit Born out of the AIDS Crisis Becomes Nation's Largest Provider of Housing and Services for the HIV/AIDS Community

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Housing Works, the nation's largest provider of housing and services for people living with HIV/AIDS, is marking its 35th anniversary alongside New York's first licensed adult-use dispensary, Housing Works Cannabis Co (HWCC), which is in tandem celebrating three years of operation as the state's only 100% nonprofit cannabis dispensary.

Founded in response to the AIDS crisis and widespread government inaction, Housing Works has spent over three decades and multiple political administrations redefining how nonprofits can drive sustainable impact—pairing direct services, advocacy, and innovative retail models to fund life-saving programs. Through donations and innovative methods like auctioning off artwork from Banksy, the organization has raised millions dollars with notable accomplishments including advocating for HASA for All, which ensures low-income New Yorkers with HIV have access to lifesaving services including housing and benefits assistance, earning a Federally Qualified Health Center designation, creating "hotels" for the unhoused during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is currently working on The Lirio, its largest housing project to date in Hell's Kitchen.

"In the early days, our evidence-based advocacy positions were often met with political resistance. As a result, traditional funders were not inclined to support our life-saving HIV/AIDS work. And, while we are now almost 40 years into the AIDS pandemic, we continue to experience budget cuts and lack of access to capital as city, state and federal administrations shift," said Matthew Bernardo, President of Housing Works, Inc. "But when people are fighting for their lives, it forces innovation to support them. Housing Works is proof that nonprofits can create real, measurable impact for those who need it most."

That same spirit of innovation and service led to the launch of Housing Works Cannabis Co. in 2022, extending the organization's reach into New York's legal cannabis market with a mission-first approach.

Over the past three years, proceeds from HWCC have directly supported Housing Works' core mission by funding job training for individuals impacted by incarceration and HIV/AIDS, strengthening advocacy efforts at the city, state and federal levels, and supporting coalition-building initiatives that protect community engagement and public health programs including the Ryan White Program, The Affordable Care Act, and PEPFAR.

"Housing Works Cannabis Co is more than just a space to buy pre-rolls," says Sasha Nutgent, Vice President of Cannabis Retail at HWCC. "It's a community hub that proves that cannabis can create good in New York and that conscious consumption is a viable foundation for the cannabis industry."

Beyond direct contributions to Housing Works' mission, HWCC has prioritized equity within New York's emerging cannabis industry. The dispensary has mentored other CAURD license holders like Chelsea Cannabis Co. to help navigate and operate in New York's heavily regulated cannabis market, led coalition building activities and efforts to improve policies for operators, and currently sells more BIPOC-owned brands than any other dispensary.

Like many legal cannabis operators, HWCC has navigated complex regulatory hurdles, tax burdens, and increasing competition during its first three years, but continues to grow with a third dispensary location set to open and join the larger network of bookstores and thrift shops.

As Housing Works looks ahead to its fourth decade, the organization remains committed to finding new ways to sustain its services and advocacy—from housing and health care to global HIV/AIDS initiatives.

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.

Media Contact:
Alexa Oliphant
[email protected]  

SOURCE Housing Works