Bend dispensary gives away pot for donations

Donate five items and get a free half-gram of pot. A Bend medical marijuana shop has a deal for patients that will benefit the homeless.

CannaBend medical marijuana dispensary is holding a fundraiser for The Bethlehem Inn.

The dispensary said late Friday they’re committed to helping the community, which is why they’ve decided to help the local homeless shelter across the street. This unique combination may make you raise some eyebrows.

CannaBend co-owner Lizette Coppinger has been donating to the Bethlehem Inn since before she opened up the marijuana dispensary on Bend’s Third Street, and wanted to take this chance to do even more.

“We wanted to as a business, we feel like we had the opportunity to go a little further and reach a little more people,” Coppinger said.

CannaBend said they’re doing the community support drive independent of the Bethlehem Inn.

“We just chose them because we’re in the community,” Coppinger said. “Just as any other business, whether we’re Burger King or CannaBend, we are a business that is in the community, and we consider them our neighbors.”

The Bethlehem Inn declined to comment on camera, but Managing Director Chris Clouart said in a statement: “We are always amazed and touched by the generosity of the Central Oregon community. CannaBend has been kind enough to reach out to their customers in an attempt to help us in our service to the most vulnerable members of the community. We appreciate what they have been able to do.”

Coppinger said it shouldn’t matter what kind of shop they are, but that they’re taking the time to help those in need.

“The product that we work with shouldn’t have any impact on charity, donations and just helping out the community,” Coppinger said.

They aren’t just stopping with the Bethlehem Inn — CannaBend plans to be at the Multiple Sclerosis Walk Saturday morning.

“We’re coming up always continuously with different ideas of how we can do a bigger outreach,” Coppinger said.

An outreach she hopes they can fulfill by providing essential items.

The community support drive ends on Sunday. You don’t need to be a participant in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program to donate, but in order to get free pot for a five-item donation, you must be a fully registered patient with the state.