Southern Smoke Foundation launches “Million for Mental Health” Campaign Through May 31, 2024

Southern Smoke Foundation Expands Mental Health Program to Provide Access to No-cost Counseling to More Food and Beverage Workers

SSF is launching its Behind You Mental Health Program in five additional states and Washington D.C., as well as expanding its current programs in New York and Texas this summer 

To kick off Mental Health Awareness Month, Southern Smoke Foundation (SSF), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to providing emergency relief funds nationwide and access to mental health services for food and beverage workers (F+B), announced the expansion of its mental health program, Behind You, to Maine, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

Behind You now operates in 10 states, plus Washington D.C., and is partnered with 13 university clinical programs. SSF distributes grants to accredited universities offering a graduate-level program for psychology, social work, clinical mental health, or counseling–allowing for F+B workers to receive counseling at no cost to them. To see the full roster of university affiliate partners, click here. 

“It’s really neat that Southern Smoke has decided to provide grants to university clinical programs to offer counseling for food and beverage workers at no cost,” Patricia Yabu, LCSW, Director of Community Counseling Services at Cal Lutheran University, said. “It’s a model that works for many reasons: it offers a diverse population of clients for our student clinicians to learn from, and since it is a learning environment, the client receives a very high level of care and attention since all student clinicians are seen under a licensed supervisor.”

Of the 322 F+B workers who have enrolled in the program across five states from January 2023 to now, 61% have completed or are on the path to completing the program. This is compared to the studies by the National Library of Medicine that have shown that client attrition is commonplace, with between 40 and 60% of clients ceasing treatment before termination is recommended. While there is no specific research about clients in counseling specifically within the F+B industry, SSF is creating that data in real time through the Behind You program and expanding access to mental health services whereas they have seen that F+B workers typically don’t make time for counseling.

“Our student clinicians jump at the chance to work with Southern Smoke clients,” Hope Dawan, LMSW, Administrative Coordinator/Instructor, Psychological Services Center at Louisiana State University, said. The clients referred by Southern Smoke consistently attend counseling week after week, and more often than not, they stay on after they have completed the program at a sliding-scale rate.”

Since Behind You launched in 2020, SSF has provided access to more than 4,800 counseling sessions at no cost for F+B workers, and they’re not hanging up the apron now. To drive awareness and funds to support Behind You, SSF is launching a  “Million for Mental Health” campaign on May 1, in tandem with Mental Health Awareness Month. Nationally, it will cost SSF just over $1 Million annually to sustain programs in Texas, Louisiana, California, New York, and Illinois, as well as expand to Maine, Massachusetts, South Carolina, D.C., Virginia, and Tennessee this summer. This nationwide campaign will directly support the continued growth of the program with the goal of raising $1 Million by the end of the year.

Chefs from across the nation are getting behind SSF and participating in the Million for Mental Health campaign.

Click here to see the growing list of promotions that will support Behind You in May. Southern Smoke Foundation has been instrumental in providing more than $11.6 million in emergency relief grants to F+B workers. SSF aims to alleviate the financial and emotional burdens individuals in the F+B community face due to unforeseen crises, medical emergencies, or natural disasters. F+B workers experiencing an unforeseen hardship can apply to receive an Emergency Relief Grant here, and F+B workers residing in California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington D.C who are interested in receiving no-cost counseling can apply for Behind You here.

Those who live outside of the Behind You service states can apply for financial assistance to cover mental health care needs through the Emergency Relief Fund. The Behind You program wouldn’t be possible without Love, Tito’s, Elijah Craig, Restaurant Giving Circle, and Athletic Brewing. To support SSF and learn more, visit https://southernsmoke.org.

HOUSTON SPECIALS:

Aiko’s Heal and Spread Healing Mocktail: With a 100% giveback to the Million for Mental Health campaign, Houston sushi spot Aiko will be offering the Heal and Spread Healing (HASH) Mocktail. The non-alcoholic beverage, made with tea, Herbes de Province, vanilla syrup, and black walnut bitters, will be offered through the month of May in support of SSF’s Behind You program.

Johnny’s Gold Brick: Heights neighborhood craft cocktail bar, Johnny’s Gold Brick, will be creating a special drink and donating $1 from each order for the month of May to support the Million for Mental Health campaign.

Southern Smoke Pizza @ Rosie Cannonball: Inspired by SSF Founder and Chef Chris Shepherd, James Beard Award Semifinalist Chef Felipe Riccio created a Southern Smoke Pizza featuring a Calabrian chili red sauce topped with mozzarella, roasted cremini mushrooms and Schiacchiata Picante. For the month of May, Rosie Cannonball will donate $2 for every pizza sold to support the Million for Mental Health campaign.

Winnie’s Crawfish for a Cause: Neighborhood favorite, Winnie’s, will be donating $1 from every pound of crawfish sold in the month of May to support the Million for Mental Health campaign.

Photos courtesy of SSF