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A workforce development and mentorship program funded through New York’s marijuana tax revenue has graduated its first cohort of 13 young people in the South Bronx.

The PODER Youth Leadership Collective is operated by Community Connections for Youth (CCFY) and supported through the state’s Community Grants Reinvestment Fund. The nine-month program serves justice-involved youth ages 15 to 24, offering mentoring, career exploration, leadership training and community service opportunities.

Participants attend biweekly workshops and field visits, develop personal leadership plans and receive assistance navigating educational and employment opportunities.

“This is what reinvestment looks like in action,” said New York State Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director John Kagia. “Programs like PODER are creating real pathways for young people who have lacked access to economic and professional development opportunities.”

The program is based on CCFY’s South Bronx Community Connections model, which the organization says has produced a 33% reduction in recidivism. PODER also works with families, community mentors and the New York City Department of Probation to help participants transition away from the criminal justice system and toward education, employment and community engagement.

New York Cannabis Advisory Board Chairman Joe Belluck said the graduation demonstrates how marijuana tax revenue can be directed toward communities disproportionately affected by drug enforcement.

“These aren’t just graduates, they’re individuals equipped with new skills, new opportunities, and a stronger foundation for the future,” Belluck said.

New York has so far awarded $5 million from the Community Grants Reinvestment Fund to 50 community-based organizations during its first funding round.

An additional $15 million is being evaluated for a second round of grants, while another $15 million is being developed for future awards. That would bring the state’s total planned community reinvestment funding to $35 million.

The fund supports workforce development, education and community-based services for populations and neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by past state and federal drug policies.

“Community reinvestment is about delivering resources to the organizations doing this work every day,” said Matthew Wilson, director of the Community Reinvestment Fund. “PODER is a strong example of how these investments translate into real outcomes.”