On February 14 of this year, following various police raids and public opinion that spanned the spectrum, the Long Beach City Council voted to ban all collectives in the city that complied with the Pack ordinance that ruled much of Long Beach’s medical-marijuana ordinance was in violation of federal law. The exemption for these collectives lasts until August; however, the Council will review the possibility of another extension this month.

In an effort to boost the pejorative public conception of dispensaries, the Long Beach Collective Association (LBCS) is a group of collectives that advertises itself as a force “joined together to create a better Long Beach” — and it seems to be doing just that through its outreach program by donating $10,000 each to The Center Long Beach, the city’s revered LGBTQ resource center, and the Long Beach Rescue Mission, one of the most respected homeless shelter and advocacy groups in the southland. Other parts of this “grassroots assistance” include street clean-ups and volunteerism.

“The Center is honored to accept the LBCA’s generous donation which will be used to help fund our low cost mental health counseling program,” says The Center’s Administrative Director Porter Gilberg. “Funding from LBCA will allow us to continue serving those most in need in our community who might not otherwise have access to lifesaving mental health services.”

In acknowledging the gift, Rescue Mission CEO Jim Lewis noted LBRM’s ongoing commitment to help those caught in addictions, “We appreciate LBCA’s commitment to the community and helping meet the needs of homeless men, women, and children… whether caused by addictions or economic reasons – we’re working to end homelessness.”

The LBCA was officially created one week after the Pack decision after preliminary meetings beforehand. They have and continue to attempt to promote and protect the rights of what they consider to be legal medical marijuana collective members, treating them as legitimate businesses that operate under a strict code of conduct — and one that includes a commitment to community service.

However, critics are claiming that this is a perturbing ploy to essentially cover up something bad — medical-marijuana — with philanthropy. Carl Kemp, a representative of LBCA, told the Long Beach Post, “We don’t see contributions to the community, either monetary or volunteering, as anything but doing our part in enhancing the wellness of the city we all share. And since we don’t see collectives authorized under state law, continuing to operate under the rules of a now defunct ordinance, and currently exempted from enforcement by this city council as bad, there is no deed to cover anything bad up. It’s a part of who we are.”

“We are serious about our love for the city of Long Beach, and all of our members are fully committed to making a positive difference in the city,” said LBCA President Greg Lefian. “We have always realized that we have a responsibility to make our community better, and before we had the LBCA, we acted as individuals. With the LBCA unifying us, and as a condition of our Code of Conduct, we are now taking that volunteerism and philanthropy to the next level.”