Since the COVID-19 crisis began, Chris Shepherd's Southern Smoke Foundation SouthernSmokeTX has given more than $1.2 million directly to hospitality workers in need. Here's how you can help.
, the national emergency relief fund has distributed more than $1.2 million directly to hospitality workers in need.
"We trust the individual," said Shepherd. "They send out a blanket 'this is what I need,' and it’s sent to the committee and it’s verified. We give them money for food, water, medical, electric … it’s not capped. We gave a kid 100,000 dollars so his mom wouldn’t have to put him in a hospice and watch him die."
Here's how it works: An individual fills out an application—in English, Spanish, or Vietnamese—on the Southern Smoke, which is then sent to screeners who prioritize applications based on urgency. Case workers are assigned to each application, and every night, an anonymous vote is held by the awards committee to grant funding.
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