Unique Idea Brings In Plenty Of Food For Santa Cruz Food Bank

SANTA CRUZ (KCBS) _ The Second Harvest Food Bank in Santa Cruz County had a successful holiday food drive, thanks in part to an amazing number of donations from a small business.

The food collection barrels were pretty empty at the Granny Purps Marijuana Dispensary in Soquel, until they got the bright idea to offer joints for food.

"We originally didn't have a limit and people could bring in as many cans as they wanted," said dispensary co-owner Phil Hicks. "And for every four cans, we would give them a free, pre-rolled joint. They had to be a legal medical marijuana patient and a part of our collective to participate in the promotion."

KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:

Hicks said the next thing they knew, they were inundated with cans of food.

"The response blew away anything we expected. We started in November. I was hoping we could fill five barrels before Thanksgiving, but we had seven filled by Thanksgiving," he said. "I said at this rate, I think we can get 10,000 pounds by Christmas."

Hicks said they ended up collecting close to 12,000 pounds of food.

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