In The Weeds Foundation
As professionals who have built a restaurant businesses across Cape Cod, we understand the unique challenges our industry faces – seasonal housing shortages, high stress environments, and limited resources for workers who keep our tourism economy thriving.
The Talent Crisis Has Root Causes. We're Addressing Them.
The hospitality industry doesn’t have a talent problem. It has a sustainability problem.
We keep blaming “nobody wants to work” while ignoring the reality: people can’t afford to live near their jobs, can’t access mental health support, and are navigating addiction in an industry that’s normalized it for decades.
You can’t retain great people when they can’t afford rent within 30 miles of where they work. You can’t build culture when your team is one mental health crisis away from walking out. You can’t fix a “labor shortage” without acknowledging the addiction and substance abuse issues built into the structure of the industry itself.
These aren’t edge cases. They’re the reason people leave.
In The Weeds Foundation exists because these realities can’t be ignored any longer.
This isn’t about charity. It’s about systemic change.
After 40 years in hospitality, from dishwasher to CEO, from the James Beard Awards to building restaurant groups, I’ve seen the best and worst of this industry.
I’ve watched brilliant people leave not because they didn’t love the work, but because they couldn’t afford rent. I’ve seen talented chefs spiral into addiction because the industry normalized it and offered no support. I’ve lost colleagues to suicide because the stress broke them and nobody knew how to help.
Housing instability, mental health crises, and addiction aren’t personal failures. They’re industry-wide challenges that require industry-wide solutions. This foundation is my commitment to building those solutions, to supporting the people who make hospitality possible, and to proving that we can build an industry worth staying in.
If hospitality is going to survive, we need to address why people leave. Not with higher wages alone, but with the support systems that make careers sustainable.
– Michael Martir, Founder
Crisis Resources:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
- Substance Abuse Hotline: 1-800-662-4357
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Our three pillars
How We're Building Support Systems
Housing Support & Advocacy
We work to address the housing crisis that makes hospitality careers unsustainable in high-cost markets.
Emergency Housing Assistance
Short-term financial support for hospitality workers facing eviction or housing crisis.
Seasonal Worker Housing Network
Connecting seasonal hospitality workers with affordable housing options and host families.
Affordable Housing Advocacy
Partnering with local governments and developers to create workforce housing solutions.
Housing Resource Navigation
Helping hospitality workers access housing assistance programs, roommate matching, and rental support.
Employer Education
Training restaurant groups on housing stipends, live-in options, and creative housing solutions for staff.
Why It Matters
When your dishwasher spends 90 minutes commuting each way because they can’t afford rent within 20 miles, they’re not going to stay. Housing instability is retention instability.
Mental Health Resources & Support
We provide access to mental health services, crisis support, and wellness resources designed for the realities of hospitality work.
Free Counseling Access
Partnerships with therapists offering sliding-scale or pro-bono services for hospitality workers.
Crisis Intervention Support
24/7 hotline and text support for mental health emergencies.
Peer Support Groups
Facilitated support groups for hospitality workers navigating depression, anxiety, burnout, and workplace trauma.
Workplace Mental Health Training
Teaching restaurant leadership to recognize signs of crisis and respond with humanity, not judgment.
Burnout Prevention Workshops
Practical tools for stress management, boundary-setting, and sustainable work-life integration in demanding roles.
Why It Matters
You can’t build a healthy culture in an industry that treats mental health as weakness. Hospitality’s demands are real. The support systems should be too.
Addiction Recovery & Substance Abuse Support
We provide access to mental health services, crisis support, and wellness resources designed for the realities of hospitality work.
Recovery Resource Navigation
Connecting hospitality workers with treatment programs, 12-step meetings, and recovery support services.
Financial Assistance for Treatment
Grants to help cover rehab costs, outpatient treatment, and recovery program fees.
Sober Support Network
Peer mentorship connecting people in recovery within the hospitality industry.
Return-to-Work Support
Helping people in recovery re-enter hospitality with employers who understand and support their journey.
Industry Culture Change Advocacy
Working with restaurants to shift away from alcohol-centric culture and normalize sobriety.
Why It Matters
Hospitality’s relationship with alcohol and substance use isn’t just “part of the job.” It’s a crisis we’ve normalized for too long. Recovery should be supported, not stigmatized.
Our Promise
When you're in the weeds, we're your way out.
1 in 3
Hospitality workers struggle to afford housing within reasonable commute of their job.*
2x
The hospitality industry has twice the rate of substance abuse compared to general workforce.*
80%
Of hospitality workers report high stress and burnout, with limited access to mental health resources.*
Getting Support or Giving Support
For Hospitality Workers Who Need Help:
If you're struggling with housing, mental health, or addiction, you're not alone.
The Cape Hospitality Foundation provides confidential support and resources. No judgment. No barriers. Just help.*
Get Support:
- Recovery Resource Navigation
- Financial Assistance for Treatment
- Sober Support Network
- Return-to-Work Support
- Industry Culture Change Advocacy
*Every message is treated with care and complete confidentiality; we never share your information.
For Hospitality Workers Who Need Help:
Be part of the solution.
Partner with us to:
- Implement mental health benefits and resources for your team
- Create housing support programs for seasonal and year-round staff
- Build workplace cultures that support recovery and sobriety
- Train leadership to recognize and respond to mental health crises
For Supporters & Donors:
Your investment addresses root causes, not just symptoms.
Every dollar goes directly to housing assistance, mental health services, and addiction recovery support for hospitality workers who need it most.
Flexible options make it easy to help:
- One-time donation
- Monthly recurring
- Corporate matching
Other Ways to Help:
- For Mental Health Professionals:
Offer sliding-scale or pro-bono services to hospitality workers. Join our provider network. - For Landlords & Property Owners:
Offer affordable housing options or below-market rentals for hospitality workers. - For Recovery Mentors:
Share your journey and support others in hospitality navigating sobriety and recovery. - For Volunteers:
For Volunteers: Help with events, outreach, resource navigation, and administrative support.
How To Donate
Donate Via PayPalDonate Via VenmoIn The Weeds Foundation is currently awaiting 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation.
$50
Crisis Support
Provides emergency assistance for 1 worker facing immediate need.
$250
Housing Assistance
Helps cover 1 month of rent assistance for hospitality worker in housing crisis.
$500
Mental Health Access
Funds counseling sessions for hospitality workers without insurance.
$1000
Recovery Support
Provides treatment assistance or recovery program support for 1 person.
$5000
Comprehensive Support
Full package: housing, mental health, and recovery resources for 1 worker over 6 months.
Custom Amount
Every dollar directly supports housing, mental health, and addiction programs
Corporate & Organizational Partners
We partner with restaurant groups, hospitality brands, and industry organizations who want to invest in solving the systemic issues destroying retention and recruitment.
Benefits: Brand recognition, social media acknowledgment, tangible impact on industry sustainability, access to workforce solutions.
Title Sponsor
- Naming rights to one of three pillar programs (Housing, Mental Health, or Addiction Support)
- Recognition at all foundation events
- Quarterly impact reports
- Advisory board seat
Program Sponsor
- Fund specific initiatives within pillar programs
- Logo recognition on website and materials
- Semi-annual impact updates
- Partner designation
Supporting Partner
- General fund support across all three pillars
- Recognition on website
- Annual impact report
In-Kind Partnerships
- Housing donations or below-market rentals for hospitality workers
- Mental health services (counseling, therapy, wellness programs)
- Treatment facility partnerships for addiction recovery
- Meeting space, technology, or administrative support
Is the In The Weeds Foundation a 501(c)(3)?
Yes. All donations are tax-deductible.
Who can access foundation support?
Any hospitality worker (current or former) facing housing instability, mental health challenges, or addiction issues. Support is confidential and judgment-free. You don’t need to prove employment status or income level.
Do you only serve Cape Cod?
We started on Cape Cod, but our support extends throughout New England and we’re building resources for hospitality workers nationally. Housing assistance is regional, but mental health and addiction support can be accessed remotely.
How do I request help confidentially?
Use the “Request Support” form on our website or email support@intheweedsfoundation.org. All requests are handled confidentially. We never share your information with employers or anyone else without your explicit permission.
Can restaurants get involved beyond donations?
Absolutely. We need housing partnerships, mental health benefit programs, sober-supportive workplace cultures, and employers willing to support workers in recovery. Contact us to explore how your operation can be part of the solution.
Do you provide direct financial assistance?
Yes. For housing emergencies, treatment costs, and crisis situations, we provide direct financial assistance based on need and available funds. We also connect people to other assistance programs they may qualify for.
Is support really judgment-free?
Yes. Whether you’re struggling with addiction, mental health, housing, or all three, you deserve support. Period. No lectures, no shame, no requirements beyond a willingness to accept help.
How is the foundation different from other nonprofit organizations?
We’re founded by someone who spent 40 years in hospitality and understands the specific challenges of this industry. We’re not a general nonprofit trying to help everyone. We focus specifically on hospitality workers and the three systemic issues (housing, mental health, addiction) that drive talent out of the industry. We provide direct support, not just awareness campaigns.
Can I volunteer if I'm in recovery or have lived experience with these issues?
Yes. Lived experience is valuable, especially for peer support roles. We have opportunities for people in recovery to mentor others, for those who’ve navigated housing crises to help with resource navigation, and for anyone with relevant experience who wants to give back.