Austin CBD business owner donates money, free products to veterans

Co-founder of CBD company helping veterans by donating products

Hometown Hero CBD is a hemp product company that donates to veterans and even gives away free products to veterans in need.

AUSTIN, Texas - Lukas Gilkey ticks alot of boxes when it comes to veterans.

He is an Austin resident, a veteran, and the owner of a business that sells popular products among veterans. Gilkey also donates proceeds from his business to veteran organizations.

Gilkey joined FOX 7's Mike Warren to discuss his business and how it helps veterans.

MIKE: We want to welcome Lukas Gilkey, the co-founder of Hometown Hero CBD. Tell us about your business.

LUKAS: We're a manufacture/distributor out of Austin. We started in 2015, and we supply hemp derived products and many of our customers are veterans.

MIKE: Was that a decision you made to do something to help some veterans?

LUKAS: From day one we donated to veterans charities and over the years we've donated hundreds of thousands of dollars. And there's something about the company that vets gravitate toward whether it's employees, owners or customers.

MIKE: Why doante to support vets from your proceeds?

LUKAS: I'm a vet and with our employees we always talk about this, that veterans are underserved in this country from the medical side and a lot of ways... We believe it's our job to help people and veterans are who we choose to support. We also give a lot of product away because it's a great alternative to the opioids veterans get from the VA system.

MIKE: What's the feedback form veteran customers on if the product is helping them?

LUKAS: Tons. We're partnered with Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled Veterans of America. With the VFW, we go to many of their events and give away our products to their members. Many are disabled and they love our products. Feedback is through the roof, and it's clear the products have a massive ability to help.

MIKE: Did the military experience help you in starting the business?

LUKAS: Huge. The leadership values you get in the military at a very young age is invaluable. The amount of responsibility you are given at 18, 19 years of age it's so different then at a Subway or Mcdonalds. There's lives at stake, millions of dollars in equipment at stake.

MIKE: Lukas, thank you for joining us.