By Mike Kinney
Richmond fathers struggling with issues of homelessness were not forgotten on Sunday.
Green Remedy, a marijuana dispensary in Richmond’s Hilltop neighborhood, sponsored a Father’s Day event that fed hundreds of families both at the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program headquarters at 165 22nd St. and also at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel at 3150 Garrity Way in Hilltop, where GRIP is providing services to vulnerable individuals and families who are sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event was a partnership with Soulful Softball Sunday and CJ’s Barbecue & Fish, which provided the food. Also, $100 gift cards to clothing retailers were distributed to fathers, along with $50 gift cards that fathers could use to spend on their kids.
“My business partner, Bill Koziol, and I are both fathers and enjoy serving our community, so sponsoring this event was a great opportunity for us to show our gratitude by helping families in need,” said Darren Parle, co-director of Green Remedy.
Koiziol said the event was about ensuring struggling local fathers aren’t forgotten.
“We were born out of the medical cannabis movement and we believe in community first and giving back to the community,” Koiziol said.
Last month, Green Remedy partnered with Holistic Healing, Soulful Softball Sunday and CJ’s Barbecue & Fish to feed roughly 150 people staying at the Marriott in Hilltop. That same group partnered the previous month to feed Kaiser Richmond frontline workers.
