At CANA Craft Cannabis, we believe that being part of a community means showing up for it — not just as a business, but as a neighbor. That's why our New Bedford location at 2121 Phillips Rd is proud to give back as part of CANA's $60,000 community giving program across Norton, Fairhaven, and New Bedford in 2025. One of the organizations closest to our hearts this year is Lighthouse Animal Shelter.
Tucked away at 596 Hathaway Road in New Bedford, Lighthouse Animal Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission that sets it apart: providing refuge specifically for adult and senior animals — the dogs and cats most often overlooked in shelters. While puppies and kittens tend to find homes quickly, older animals can wait months or even years for someone to give them a chance. Lighthouse exists to make sure they get that chance.
What makes Lighthouse truly special is that it is 100% volunteer-run. Every person who walks through those doors — feeding animals, cleaning kennels, coordinating adoptions, and providing medical care — does so out of pure love. There are no paid staff. Just a dedicated community of animal lovers led by Susan Goldsmith, who have built something remarkable from the ground up.
The shelter operates by appointment only, with a thoughtful adoption process designed to match each animal with the right family. They also run foster programs for people who can't adopt permanently but want to open their homes temporarily to a pet in need. It's a model built on care, patience, and respect — for the animals and the people who love them.
CANA's donation to Lighthouse Animal Shelter helps cover the costs that keep the shelter running: veterinary care, food, medications, and facility maintenance. For a volunteer-run organization with no paid staff, every dollar goes directly to the animals. Senior pets often come with higher medical needs — dental work, chronic conditions, mobility support — and donations like this help ensure that no animal is turned away because of cost.
The funding also supports Lighthouse's foster program, which expands the shelter's capacity by placing animals in temporary homes while they await adoption. It's a lifeline for animals who might otherwise have nowhere to go.
"Every animal deserves dignity in their later years — a warm bed, a full belly, and someone who cares. Lighthouse Animal Shelter embodies that belief every single day, powered entirely by volunteers who show up out of love. Supporting their work isn't just a donation — it's an investment in compassion. We're proud to stand beside them."
— CANA Craft Cannabis
You can reach Lighthouse Animal Shelter at (508) 999-7387 or by emailing paws@lighthouseanimalshelter.org.
At CANA, we see ourselves as more than a cannabis dispensary. We're part of the fabric of New Bedford — a city with deep roots, resilient people, and organizations like Lighthouse that quietly make life better for everyone, two legs or four. When you visit our New Bedford location, you're supporting a business that puts its money back into the community that supports it.
Because that's what neighbors do.
CANA Craft Cannabis New Bedford is located at 2121 Phillips Rd, New Bedford, MA. Learn more about our community initiatives and shop with us at our New Bedford Dispensary & Premium Outlet.
