About Us
The Mike & Sherry Project was created in 2019 to ensure that Austin’s bar and restaurant workers can access mental health care without financial barriers. In partnership with Capital Area Counseling (CAC), a trusted nonprofit psychotherapy center serving Texans, the Mike & Sherry Project helps provide low-cost therapy to individuals working in the restaurant and bar industry. Through CAC’s income-based sliding scale, therapy sessions are available for as low as $25 per appointment for Mike and Sherry Project partners. When workers are unable to afford even that cost, donations to the Mike & Sherry Project help bridge the gap, ensuring no one is turned away from care. To date, this partnership has supported over 15,000 therapy appointments, connecting thousands of service industry workers to compassionate, high-quality mental health support.
The Project was started by Sam Hellman-Mass, restaurant industry veteran and owner of east Austin favorite Suerte. During his time in the industry, he saw his co-workers and staff go through personal hardship and saw a need for affordable and accessible mental healthcare.
He named the project after Mike Shefman and Sherry Greenberg, who are staples in the local food scene and have become an integral and invested part of the Austin community. He met the couple when he was working at Barley Swine and was instantly inspired by their kindness, good nature and sense of humor. Sherry is known to deliver brownies to the staff at restaurants around town, whether she’s dining or not. Sam noticed that everyone who got to know them quickly began to feel like part of their family.
Founding Restaurants
Suerte
Epicerie
El Dorado Cafe
L’Oca D’Oro
FBR Management
Franklin Barbecue
Odd Duck
Barley Swine
Bufalina
Olamaie
Sour Duck
Partners
Suerte |
Épicerie |
Eldorado Café |
L’Oca d’Oro |
Franklin Barbecue |
Odd Duck |
Sour Duck |
Barley Swine |
Bufalina |
Bufalina Due |
Olamaie |
FBR MGMT: |
Lavaca – Downtown |
Lavaca – Domain |
Lavaca – South Lamar |
Lalas |
The Wheel |
MEC |
Star Bar |
Dumonts |
Gibson |
Dive Bar |
Black Star Co-op |
| Drink Well |
Juliet Italian Kitchen: |
Barton Springs Location |
Arboretum Location |
Commerce Café |
Foreign & Domestic |
Hillside Farmacy |
Baby Greens |
Yard Bar |
The Cavalier |
Brentwood Social House |
Chez Zee American Bistro |
Dai Due |
WIP Hospitality: |
24 Diner |
Irene’s |
Cookbook Café |
Honeymoon ATX |
Patrizi's |
Genuine Article |
Kome Sushi |
| The Roosevelt Room & The Eleanor |
| Easy Tiger |
| The Peached Tortilla: |
| Bar Peached |
| Peached Social House |
| Fat City Stacks |
| Casey's Snoballs |
| Vic & Al's |
| Vista Brewing |
| Patika |
| Holiday |
Partners Continued
Este
Bouldin Acres
Birdie's
Allday Pizza
Kinda Tropical
Uptown Sports Club
Nixta Taqueria
CodependentRoyal Blue Grocery
Central Machine Works
Comedor
Radio Coffee and Beer
Bambino
Home Slice Pizza
Red Bud Ice House
Rebel Cheese
Hot Spell Farm
Emo's Concession Company
Georgie's
Lala's South Pole
Mean Eyed Cat Driftwood
Scoot Inn Concession Company
Old Gregg Brewing Company
The Wheel South
Leona Cafe Bar
Advisory Team
-
Mike Shefman and Sherry Greenberg
-
Sam Hellman-Mass
Owner, Suerte -
Jerry Webberman
Jackson Walker LLP -
Valerie Granoff
LCSW, psychotherapist -
Jaime Telfeyan, LPC-S, NCC
Capital Area Counseling -
Doc Davis, LPC, NCC
Capital Area Counseling -
Kathleen Lucente
President, Red Fan Communications -
Matt Luckie
FBR Management -
Sarah McIntosh
Épiecerie