Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Fund

Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Fund is sponsored by Southern Smoke Foundation. Offers emergency relief grants to food and beverage workers nationwide experiencing crises such as illness, injury, or other emergencies.

Southern Smoke Foundation From farmers to fry cooks, servers to sommeliers, Southern Smoke takes care of our own by providing financial support to food and beverage workers when it’s needed most. Whether facing unforeseen hardships or seeking mental health care, our funds and resources are here to help those who put food or drinks on the table.

Over the years, our grants have helped ensure that F+B workers in crisis can cover basic needs such as living expenses, critical medical care and medications, assistance for natural disasters, childcare, and transportation, as well as household instability. Aid is provided to eligible applicants based on individual circumstances and assessed according to financial need and household income.

Applications must be submitted within six months of the qualifying crisis. To be eligible for emergency relief funding, you must currently be employed in the food and beverage industry with a taxable income, working a minimum of 30 hours per week for at least six months. All applicants are required to provide copies of their pay stubs to verify employment.

Each applicant may apply only once every 12 months. Behind You: No-cost counseling for F+B workers. For many, fire and sharp objects aren’t just hazards; they’re tools of the trade.

Loud, stressful situations are a given. Double-shifts are standard. By day’s end, it can feel exhausting to do one more thing, even if that one thing is asking for help.

So instead, we’re offering. Through our mental health program, Behind You, we provide access to no-cost mental health counseling for F+B workers in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D. C.

Those who live outside of the service states can apply for financial assistance for mental health crises through our Emergency Relief Fund. Crises happen daily, affecting individuals and families through natural disasters, medical emergencies, work closures, and mental health issues, leading to financial hardship and distress for food and beverage (F+B) workers. Southern Smoke Foundation is here to help.

This toolkit is tailored for our SSF community, addressing the unique challenges that F+B workers face. Our goal is to help you prepare for these situations.