“We have barely touched the tip of the iceberg. I won’t be successful until Southern Smoke isn’t needed, and honestly I don’t see that happening anytime soon. ”
“Southern Smoke is there to help people in their hard times.”
“We started the emergency relief fund because we were worried about people not living paycheck to paycheck but living shift to shift,” says Lott. “We deal a lot with multigenerational homes, and if someone misses a shift, it could mean their elderly parents don’t have access to their medications, or their kids don’t get the shoes they need to go to school. We see landlords take advantage when people are really down, especially if English isn’t their first language, and we want to make sure that families who are in a vulnerable spot don’t end up in more danger.”
“Simply put, Houston has never experienced a food event like the Southern Smoke Festival. It’s something people will be talking about for a long time.”
“We should be talking about mental health. It shouldn’t be taboo,” Shepherd told Food & Wine’s editor in chief, Hunter Lewis. “Whether it’s financial aid, putting food on the table, or helping someone find a mental health professional to talk to, we’re there as a helping hand.”
“I have insurance. I’m not worried about whether I’ll be able to cover bills or have dinner on the table. The reality is, this sucks, but focusing on other problems helps me bring mine into perspective. It could be a lot worse.”