From Compassion to Action: How Dispensaries Are Powering Jetty’s Shelter Project

By Adam Tschorn

When Jetty Extracts launched the Shelter Project back in 2014, the mission was simple: help cancer patients in need access clean, effective cannabis medicine at no cost. Since then, the program has donated more than $1.2 million worth of product — vape cartridges, Dablicators and jars of concentrate — to 1,320 patients across the country.

But behind every donation is a web of volunteers who help make the last-mile connection between Jetty and the patients who need it most. Here we’re taking a closer look at two of those volunteers, one in New York, (where the program is less than a year old) and another in the program’s home state of California.

Long Island’s Happy Days Dispensary: Compassion Meets Community

“It’s not just the products”

Paul Lepore is the president of Happy Days Dispensary on Long Island, New York, one of just two shops in the state (the other is Buffalo Dreams in Western New York) that’s currently signed on as a Shelter Project partner “depot.”

For Lepore, the decision was instantaneous.

“We all have an inherent duty to give back to our communities,” he said. “When Jetty presented us with this opportunity to work with them and give back to people in need, I was thrilled. It’s exactly the kind of thing that makes this work meaningful.”

Happy Days began working with Jetty in early 2025, not long after the company expanded its Shelter Project into New York. Lepore — who has a background in pharmaceuticals — was especially drawn to Jetty’s commitment to clean  cannabis.

“Having that assurance that what we’re giving to patients is safe and pure is critical,” he said. “These are people in compromised states, going through treatment or recovery. They need to know that what they’re putting into their bodies won’t cause other issues.”

To date, Happy Days serves as a Shelter Project pick-up spot for just two patients, though Lepore wishes that number was higher.

“In full transparency, it’s less than we would like to see,” he said, pointing out that his dispensary is located in the middle of Long Island. “When you look at the cost of living [here], it’s some of the highest in the entire country.” He’s confident, he said, that there are other patients out there in his community who would benefit. 

“I don’t have the exact specifics on Jetty’s [financial need] requirements, but because we are located in an area where the cost of living is so absorbently high that I’m sure that’s the kind of thing that would be taken into account.”

Though Lepore wishes the number of participants was higher, he said each interaction has reaffirmed for him why the program matters.

Moments That Matter Most

One woman, he recalled, was visibly emotional during a pickup.

“We were running a little behind pulling her order and I apologized,” he remembers, “and she stopped me and said, ‘I’m just so grateful that you and Jetty are doing this—it’s making my life so much easier.’ Moments like that make it all worthwhile.”

For patients facing the double burden of illness and financial strain, he points out that the Shelter Project does more than provide cannabis. It offers peace of mind.

“It’s not just the products,” Lepore said. “It’s the relief that comes from knowing you don’t have to choose between eating a meal and getting your medicine.”

To that end, he encourages patients who think they might benefit from that kind of relief to go ahead and fill out the enrollment form. 

“There’s absolutely zero harm in applying,” he said. “You always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Even if you think you might not qualify, apply anyway. The worst that can happen is you’re told no. But you might just find help that changes your life.”

He also has a piece of advice for any dispensary owner in California, Colorado or New York (the three states where the program currently operates) who might consider becoming a Shelter Project depot.

“You definitely should do it,” he said. “As I said earlier, we all have an inherent duty to give back. Is there a benefit to us for doing this? No. Is it more work? Are there some labor costs involved? Is it taking up space? Absolutely yes [to all of those questions]. But we were given an opportunity to help our community and this is part of that.”

Karma is your best friend and we all get back what we put out into the world,” he said emphatically. “And this is an opportunity for you to do good without that big of a lift.” 

Catalyst Patterson: Continuing California’s Compassionate Cannabis Legacy

“Real relief during his hardest days”

On the opposite coast, in the Shelter Project’s home state of California, Sadie Schut, owner of Catalyst Patterson and Northern California Regional Manager for the Catalyst chain, echoes that same spirit of service.

Her dispensary has been part of the Shelter Project since 2020, and she said the connection is deeply personal.

“Having lost my grandma to cancer when I was younger, I’ve always had a soft spot for individuals who have to endure any form of medical treatments knowing how taxing it is both physically and financially,” she said. 

“The cannabis industry, specifically in the Prop 215 era, was built on the notion that everyone should have access to plant medicine. When I discovered the Shelter Project, I was awestruck by the fact that [Jetty] had been able to maintain this approach to ensure that people would not have to compromise their well being for the egregious cost of cannabis products.”

Like Lepore, she said the brand’s emphasis on keeping cannabis as clean as possible was appealing.

“Patients going through medical treatments are already being bombarded with pharmaceuticals that tax the body in unimaginable ways,” she said. “Allowing them relief through clean, organic plant medicine like Jetty [is providing] is much less intrusive and aggressive on the body.”

Over the last five years, Schut’s shop, which is located about a 30-minute drive southwest of Modesto, has been the pick-up depot for as many as eight Shelter Project patients, two of which are currently active enrollees. Although what the recipients get varies, one standard offering is Jetty’s solventless 1-gram cartridges. At eight units per every-other-month pickup and a retail price tag (including taxes) of $59 each, that pencils out to a savings of $475 – six times a year.

But Schut says it’s the stories and not the numbers that really resonate with her. Like the local family whose teenage son was diagnosed with bone cancer.

“He was only 18 or 19,” she recalled. “After trying cannabis and having a positive outcome — better appetite, less pain — I got him connected with the Shelter Project rep at the time and she got him signed up with the program.  Despite his passing in 2022, his family credited those donated products with bringing him real relief during his hardest days.”

Stories That Keep the Mission Alive

Stories like that fuel Schut’s belief that programs like Jetty’s are essential.

“Joining the Shelter Project is a no-brainer for anyone struggling with cancer treatments,” she said. “Knowing that relief is available without the added financial burden can make an enormous difference.”

In her opinion, other dispensary operators shouldn’t have to think twice about raising their hands to participate.

“As retail owners we are meant to be the conduits of providing safe and welcoming cannabis storefronts in general but especially for our medical patients – just the people this industry was intended [to benefit in the first place].  The more the merrier.”

How to Apply or Get Involved

The twice-yearly enrollment period for Shelter Project is currently open through December 31 (the next one won’t be until May 1 to June 30, 2026) and additional information – including requirements and a link to the application form – can be found at jettyextracts.com/shelter-project/.