Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund Grant Awards

The Dorchester County Council recently awarded a total of $831,993 in grants to five organizations serving the local community. The funds are part of the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund established under the Cannabis-Reform Act of 2023 which allocates a portion of adult-use cannabis tax revenue to local jurisdictions to support community-based initiatives that benefit low-income communities and those disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of cannabis laws.

The five organizations receiving grant funding from this initial award period include a grant in the amount of $317,124 to the Dorchester Temporary Shelter, an organization created in December 2024 to provide temporary housing, community services and meals to homeless men, women and families in the County.

For All Seasons, Inc. was awarded $175,265 to provide mental health and victim services to the local community from its newly expanded Cambridge office. ALL4LOVE, an organization serving high-risk adolescents living in high violence and low-income areas of Cambridge was awarded $140,000 for its “Next Gen 2026” program.

An additional $134,920 was awarded to Minary’s Dream Alliance, Inc. to expand its Club F.E.A.R. Mentoring program to Dorchester elementary and middle school youth. The Dorchester County Health Department was the final recipient with a grant in the amount of $64,684 to reinstitute its “Connecting for Success” program which provides reentry planning and case management to incarcerated individuals, as well as to provide services to children of incarcerated parents.

George L. Pfeffer, Jr., President Mike Detmer, Vice President Rob Kramer, Jr. William V. Nichols Ricky C. Travers “Each of these programs provides important services to those living in Dorchester County who need additional assistance beyond what the government can provide,” stated Lenny Pfeffer, Council President. “Instituting this grant program turns recreational tax revenue into food and shelter, and other tangible benefits right here in our community,” he added.

The County anticipates being able to continue the grant program on an annual basis depending upon the availability of future cannabis tax revenue.