Revolutionary People | Gary Perry, Community Outreach Manager

When Revolutionary Clinics was first incorporated, the long-standing negative stigma of cannabis raised a lot of eyebrows in the local community. There were lots of questions from concerned neighbors for our founders to answer and more than a few obstacles to overcome. Today, there are still plenty of people in the Boston area who don’t understand the therapeutic benefits of cannabis or appreciate what we do.

In addition to providing these people with access to our managers and ownership for quick answers to their questions and concerns, we also do everything we can to be good neighbors and proactive sources of credible information. That’s why we inspire all of our employees to be ambassadors for Revolutionary Clinics and we’re pleased to say that the vast majority of our people are always willing to speak to anyone and everyone about cannabis, whether they’re working in one of our facilities or out and about. For one particular employee, maintaining positive relationships with our community is his full-time job.

If you haven’t met our Community Outreach Manager, Gary Perry, you’ve probably seen him on our Facebook page. In addition to being incredibly photogenic, Gary is a force for good and a source of contagious positivity. Earlier this year, Gary really shined when he worked with one of our vendors to obtain a free vaporizer for one of our long-time patients who is a 100% disabled veteran.

So, what does a Community Outreach Manager do?

In Gary’s own words: “I’m responsible for developing and maintaining positive and collaborative relationships between Rev Clinics and the communities we serve. I get to reconnect with my non-profit colleagues in a collaborative manner. One hand washes the other, both hands wash the face. I have the opportunity to help clean faces.”

Before joining Revolutionary Clinics as a Patient Advocate in 2018, Gary spent 10 years working for non-profit organizations.  One of Gary’s former employers is the Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House in Cambridge. Since 1902, the Margaret Fuller House has been a source of support, resources, education and training for residents of all ages. From teaching children the basics of health and wellness to enabling adults to develop computer skills in their technology lab, The Margaret Fuller House offers a helping hand to anyone who needs it.

Thanks to Gary’s great relationship with The Margaret Fuller House and their shared interest in connecting people with better opportunities, two of our most recent hires at Revolutionary Clinics have come from Gary’s outreach efforts. We supported their Thanksgiving dinner for their clients and have made The Margaret Fuller House one of our top sources of our philanthropic efforts.

Managing our endeavors to give back to the community is a big part of Gary’s job. This past holiday season, Gary was a passionate advocate for our efforts to raise money for Toys AUcross America. Thanks to Gary’s “reminders” and the generosity of our patients, we raised over $1,000 for this amazing non-profit organization run by another one of our Revolutionary People, Mike Miller.

At Revolutionary Clinics, we believe that giving back to our community is the best way to become a trusted part of it. We don’t do these things for show and we’re certainly not looking for credit. Given the nature of our business, we know we have to work harder to earn the confidence of our neighbors than say a florist or a coffee shop. Changing decades-long perceptions of cannabis doesn’t happen overnight. It happens one conversation at a time. Of course, actions always speak louder than words but as a medical marijuana dispensary, we need a steady combination of both and that’s where Gary really gets things done:

“I look at this position in the future, as one of the most impactful positions for any cannabis company,” Gary says. “Simply because there will always need to be a voice for people who may not have access to certain conversations. If done right, without too much red tape, and properly equipped. Outreach managers, and directors may serve as the social workers of this industry. We walk a line as for profit business with non-profit obligations. We also have to opportunity to put resources and funding into places that need them. With the proper outreach, we can help to erase the stigmatism associated with cannabis, that may prohibit others from seeing this industry, and its participants with cooperative lenses.”

In many ways, Gary’s job never ends. Whether it’s representing Revolutionary Clinics at an after hours community event or sitting down with a local physician to explain how our Patient Advocates are helping people find relief from anxiety, holiday stress and chronic pain with cannabis—Gary always has questions to answer and relationships to build. Fortunately for us, Gary is always up for doing whatever needs to be done.  “Working with and for the community has always been my thing,” he says. “I look at this position in the future, as one of the most impactful positions for any cannabis company. Simply because there will always need to be a voice for people who may not have access to certain conversations. If done right, without too much red tape, and properly equipped, outreach managers, and directors may serve as the social workers of this industry.”

When he’s not interacting with the community, organizing one of our job fairs, or assisting our marketing team, Gary enjoys making music, studying business and spending time with his family, friends and Masonic Brethren. Part of what makes Gary such an effective ambassador for Revolutionary Clinics and our industry is his personal and professional understanding of our products and their benefits. “I have found that cannabis has helped me through things that a lot of my peers were either treating with prescription drugs or other self-medications that would prove detrimental. Cannabis is not a quick fix. It requires due diligence and some trial and error, but once you build a regimen, it can be extremely beneficial.”

While Gary spends most of his time meeting with members of our community at their offices and facilities, he also drops into both of our dispensaries on a regular basis. Next time you see him, be sure to say hello and let him know if you have any suggestions for how Revolutionary Clinics can be a better business, a better neighbor and a better source of information and advice. If you have any questions about our community relations efforts or would like to learn more about how you can be a part of the Rev Clinics team, please give us a call at 617-213-6006 or fill out the form on our website!