The nonprofit introduced a no-cost “Behind You” mental-health counseling program
Lowland chef Jason Stanhope at Southern Smoke Festival in Houston.
Dining out provides more than just a meal; it gives sustenance to the soul. “Restaurants are where we go to celebrate, to mourn, to connect, to close deals,” reflects Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF) executive director Lindsey Brown. “We’re pillars of the community. And healthy restaurant workers keep the industry afloat.” So when there’s a crisis for someone in the food and beverage world, Southern Smoke provides relief grants to F&B workers nationwide and access to no-cost mental health counseling in 10 states and Washington, DC. “We support the entire food chain, from farmer to table,” explains Brown, who cofounded the nonprofit in 2015 with her husband, chef Chris Shepherd.
What began as a one-day barbecue showdown supporting a sommelier diagnosed with multiple sclerosis has evolved to become a multimillion-dollar safety net for F&B employees. SSF has assisted workers facing everything from natural disasters, emergency medical situations, and unexpected job loss to domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, and more. Though rooted in Texas, SSF has expanded into a national nonprofit, aiding industry workers hit by tornadoes in Tennessee, fires in Hawaii, and hurricanes in North Carolina. The group increased its presence in South Carolina last spring with its acquisition of Pay It Forward Charleston, a COVID-era microgrant program cofounded by Butcher & Bee’s Michael Shemtov that provided groceries, financial assistance, and vaccines to Lowcountry hospitality staff.
High Wire Distilling cofounder Scott Blackwell partcipated in the Southern Smoke Festival in Houston, Texas, in October 2024, where the event raised $1.5 million for the foundation’s emergency relief fund and grants for mental health services.
By hiring Pay It Forward program coordinator Taylor Graham as a Charleston-based case worker, SSF has been able to assess the needs of the local hospitality community and respond with essential dollars. When a fire temporarily closed King BBQ last April, SSF worked with owners Shuai and Corrie Wang to provide three weeks of lost wages to employees. And in the wake of Hurricane Helene, SSF partnered with the Holy City Hospitality Fund to raise more than $75,000 for F&B folks in the Upstate and Western North Carolina. Since last spring, the foundation has granted more than $200,000 (including $59,110 in Charleston) to Palmetto State restaurant workers.
SSF has also introduced its no-cost “Behind You” mental-health counseling program through a partnership with the University of South Carolina. In exchange for a grant to the school, SSF arranges for its clients to have six months of free therapy sessions with university PhD candidates. “We launched in South Carolina with six pilot spots, and we already have a wait list. Our hope is to grow to the size of our more established programs, which offer about 30 slots at a time,” explains Brown.
When a fire forced North Charleston’s King BBQ to close temporarily, Southern Smoke Foundation helped provide lost wages to employees.
The program helps eligible applicants overcome the financial and logistical barriers to improving their mental health. The group views the service as a proactive resource for keeping people out of crisis in an industry prone to post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, anxiety, and burnout. “Often when you walk into a restaurant shift, you’re told to leave your baggage at the door,” explains Shepherd. “You’re covering up with alcohol and drugs while working late nights—it’s a formula for a mental health crisis,” adds his wife.
Last June at the Aspen Food & Wine Festival (of which SSF was a beneficiary), a Colorado chef approached Brown and said, “You’ve never met me, but I’ll do anything I can to support you, because you saved one of my cooks.” “Our chief mission officer remembered that case. We paid for emergency rehab and his rent while he was gone so he didn’t have to come home to a financial crisis. Aspen marked a year of sobriety for him,” says Brown. The encounter delivered a refrain that fuels their mission: “You’ll never know my name, but I’m here because of the Southern Smoke Foundation.”
For more information, visit https://southernsmoke.org.
