HOUSTON – The Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation has been named a 2026 Impact Award honoree by the James Beard Foundation this week, recognizing its work supporting food and beverage workers across the country.
The honor is part of the James Beard Foundation’s annual Achievement Awards program, which highlights individuals and organizations making a meaningful impact on American food culture, sustainability and equity.
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The Impact Awards specifically recognize efforts to create a stronger, more sustainable restaurant industry and food system. For 2026, the foundation focused on priorities such as workforce inclusion, disaster preparedness and relief, and improved business practices — all areas where Southern Smoke Foundation has shown measurable results.
Founded in 2015 by James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd and Executive Director Lindsey Brown, the nonprofit provides critical support to food and beverage workers facing crises.
Southern Smoke operates two main programs: an Emergency Relief Fund that offers direct financial assistance to workers dealing with unexpected hardships, and “Behind You,” a program that connects workers to free mental health counseling across 12 states and Washington, D.C.
Since its founding, the organization has distributed more than $16 million in emergency grants nationwide and helped facilitate more than 11,000 no-cost counseling sessions. In 2025 alone, it provided $1.5 million in relief and access to more than 3,600 counseling sessions.
“This recognition reflects the collective dedication and tireless efforts of everyone in our orbit,” Brown said in a statement. “Southern Smoke Foundation is a critical resource for those who have given so much to our beloved industry.”
The recognition adds to a growing list of honors for the nonprofit. Recently, Southern Smoke also received a Friend of APTC Award from the Association of Psychological Training Clinics, highlighting its work expanding mental health access for workers while helping train future clinicians.
“The food and beverage industry is built on people who show up every day and give everything they have,” Shepherd said. “We created Southern Smoke to ensure that when those same people face a crisis, they have somewhere to turn.”
Southern Smoke Foundation will be formally recognized at the James Beard Impact Awards ceremony in Chicago on June 14.