In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re donating 20% of e-comm sales through March 31st to the Women’s Prison Association. ⁠ ⁠

Founded in 1845, WPA is the first organization dedicated to empowering women impacted by incarceration. They create opportunities for women to redefine their lives in the face of injustice and incarceration through programs that pursue freedom, ensure safety, and promote independence. ⁠ ⁠

In their own words, "WPA recognizes that men and women take different paths to the criminal legal system and have diverse experiences before, during, and after incarceration. Our programs are designed specifically for women.

At WPA, we listen first. Women are the experts in their own lives and know what they need. Some women need short-term solutions while others need long-term support. Caring and committed staff listen to each woman and co-create a vision for her future."

WPA Facts:

• The number of women in state prison in the U.S. has increased by 834% over the last four decades. That is more than twice the rate of increase that men experienced. 
  
  
• WPA’s alternative to incarceration program, JusticeHome allows women to avoid prison or jail. Instead they address the challenges that led to their arrest in the community. It costs more than $120K a year to send a woman to jail and her children to foster care. It costs less than $20K a year to offer her an alternative to incarceration with WPA.
  
  
•  Watch a video to learn more about what WPA is doing to guide women toward a better future. ⁠ ⁠

At Toast, we are passionate about creating an equitable world for marginalized minorities, and this Women’s History Month, we focus on women. The cannabis industry encourages the decriminalization of cannabis, yet far too many, including women, are incarcerated for trading in the same industry -- with Brown and Black people making up the majority. We aim to create opportunities to evoke a stronger and more supportive community for our most vulnerable citizens. 

Beyond this month's donation:

• We continue to work with the NYU Stern School of Business and with the NYU CannaBusiness club it helped found last year. Our executive chairman, Chris, teaches at NYU Stern and will be leading an experiential learning course for MBA students on a challenging and very topical stakeholder management project for the Last Prisoner Project (LPP).
  
  
• We continue are plans to launch a paid internship leadership program for people who have directly been impacted by cannabis prohibition. Interns will receive mentorship and career guidance from the leadership team and will also be introduced to other leaders in the industry to further grow their network and assist in placing them either at Toast or another company in a leadership role. Apply for a chance to work with us.