Nonprofit · EIN 81-2423050
SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION
Tax-exempt · HOUSTON, TX 77019
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $4,593,896 | $4,019,071 | $574,825 | $5,791,818 | $269,650 | $5,522,168 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $4,321,072 | $4,889,010 | -$567,938 | $5,103,343 | $156,000 | $4,947,343 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $2,537,848 | $2,671,210 | -$133,362 | $5,582,623 | $67,342 | $5,515,281 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $4,135,907
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $179,376
- Net income from fundraising events
- $278,613
- Other revenue
- $278,613
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $1,796,850
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $325,801
- Other salaries and wages
- $806,724
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $1,340,043
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $68,637
- Occupancy
- $90,317
- Travel
- $53,581
- Depreciation
- $4,929
- Program services (functional)
- $2,552,505
- Management and general (functional)
- $466,430
- Fundraising (functional)
- $1,000,136
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $5,103,343
- Total assets, end of year
- $5,791,818
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $269,650
- Net assets, end of year
- $5,522,168
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $12,431
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $4,854,824
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $667,344
- Gross receipts
- $5,704,258
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 15
- Year formed
- 2016
- State of legal domicile
- TX
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsey Brown | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $159,258 | $12,873 |
| Cris Tang | CFO Officer | 40 | $145,973 | $7,699 |
| Caroline Nabors Rosen | Director of Development Highest-paid employee | 40 | $131,969 | $8,333 |
| Catarina Bill | Chief Mission Officer Highest-paid employee | 40 | $115,583 | $6,814 |
| Kevin Gee | President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| June Rodil | Vice President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Petter Pettersen | Immediate Past President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Benjamin Fink | Chairman, Finance Committe Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Chris Shepherd | Founding Dir, Honorary Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Leighann Bakunas | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Vanessa Ames | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Chree Boydstun | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Ikimi Dubose | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Aaron Franklin | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Kaitlyn Goalen | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
4 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Grueneberg | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Cherif Mbodji | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Erin Smith | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Toni Tipton-Martin | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 17 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsey Brown | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $165,400 | $6,882 |
| Cris Tang | CFO Officer | 40 | $140,650 | $6,882 |
| Caroline Nabors Rosen | Director of Development Highest-paid employee | 40 | $134,472 | $6,217 |
| Catarina Bill | Chief Mission Officer Highest-paid employee | 40 | $115,650 | $7,389 |
| Kevin Gee | President Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| June Rodil | Vice President Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Petter Pettersen | Immediate Past President Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Benjamin Fink | Chairman, Finance Committe Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Chris Shepherd | Founding Dir, Honorary Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 25 | $0 | $0 |
| Leighann Bakunas | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Chree Boydstun | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Ikimi Dubose | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Aaron Franklin | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Kaitlyn Goalen | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Cherif Mbodji | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Erin Smith | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Toni Tipton-Martin | Board member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 18 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cris Tang | Controller Highest-paid employee | 50 | $132,500 | $6,258 |
| Caroline Nabors Rosen | Dir of Advancement Highest-paid employee | 50 | $130,000 | $5,746 |
| Catarina Bill | Dir of Philanthropy and Programs Highest-paid employee | 50 | $103,600 | $6,659 |
| Lindsey Brown | Executive Director (since 07/01/23) Trustee or director, Officer | 50 | $82,500 | $3,221 |
| Kathryn Lott | Executive Director (to 05/25/23) Officer | 40 | $70,833 | $3,221 |
| Petter Pettersen | President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Kevin Gee | Vice President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Benjamin Fink | Chairman, Finance Committee Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Chris Shepherd | Founding Director and Honorary Chairman Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| Martha Paterson | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Kristy Bradshaw | Treasurer (to April) Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Leighann Bakunas | Board member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Chree Boydstun | Board member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| John deBarry | Board member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Ikimi Dubose | Board member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Aaron Franklin | Board member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| Loubel Galik | Board member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| June Rodil | Board member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1302 WAUGH DR, HOUSTON, TX 77019-3908
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Lindsey Brown, 1302 Waugh Drive 970, Houston, TX 77019
- Signed the 990
- Lindsey Brown, Executive Director
- Phone
- (713) 502-2508
- Website
- https://southernsmoke.org/
- Return prepared by
- Blazek & Vetterling
Mission
To provide support and assistance for those in the food and beverage community and their suppliers who are in crisis. We provide funds directly to people in need that are battling health crises, winter storm damage, natural disasters, and mental health needs.
Program accomplishments
- Southern Smoke provides funding to individuals in the food and beverage industry who are in crisis. Established in 2016, our emergency relief fund has distributed more than $15 million to individuals in the food and beverage industry in crisis. Recipients in crisis experience needs related to medical bills, car accidents, weather catastrophes, family support assistance, and mental health. In 2025, the emergency relief fund provided relief to 918 individuals. To qualify for emergency relief funding or mental health services (described below in Line 4b), recipients must have worked in the food and beverage industry for a minimum of 6 months and an average of 30 hours per week. Every applicant must show proof of such employment by providing paycheck stubs and/or W2s.Expenses $2,248,127 · grants $1,492,472
- Southern Smoke provides free mental health services to food and beverage workers, providing 10,217 no-cost counseling sessions since 2020.Expenses $304,378 · grants $304,378
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 81-2423050
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2021
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A12)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $5,791,818
- Income (IRS master file)
- $5,704,258
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $4,593,896 | $4,019,071 | $5,791,818 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2024 | $4,321,072 | $4,889,010 | $5,103,343 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2023 | $2,537,848 | $2,671,210 | $5,582,623 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $2,332,005 | $2,425,858 | $5,755,998 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 81-2423050).
Questions about SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION
- What is the EIN of SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION is 81-2423050.
- Is SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2021.
- Are donations to SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Lindsey Brown.
- Who are the officers and directors of SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 19 people; 4 received compensation from the organization, the highest $159,258 (Lindsey Brown, Executive Director).
- How much revenue does SOUTHERN SMOKE FOUNDATION have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $4,593,896, expenses of $4,019,071 and total assets of $5,791,818 at year end.
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