Reconcile New Orleans, Inc., 2020 Annual Report

Photography by Dwight Marshall

More than five stories CaféMore than a The story of Reconcile is the story of young people. Young people chasing dreams. Every day we get up to get something new – something different – for ourselves and for our families. We get up to seek new possibilities, new opportunities. Why? Because we’ve got big dreams. For twenty years, Reconcile has been so much more than the five story building it occupies on historic O.C. Haley Blvd. And so much more than a Café. Reconcile is a COMMUNITY. And together, WE ARE RECONCILE. -- Jeffrey, 2015 Reconcile Alumnus

FAITH Event planner. Bartender. Hair stylist. A person who overcame major challenges with mental health. A woman who is making a name for herself in the event industry. A graduate of our program who is proud to call Reconcile New Orleans her home. This is how we know Faith. This is how she wants to be remembered. This is who she really is. Faith’s journey at Reconcile started when she was 20 years old. “When I first came to Reconcile, I was really angry,” she said. “Like my mom, I struggled with mental illness at an early age. Living in New Orleans, I have seen things that you wouldn’t fathom in your dreams. Dealing with PTSD, I was encouraged to have a counselor my whole life. It wasn’t until I came to Reconcile that I finally took advantage of the opportunity.” In 2020, Reconcile’s Mental Health Services were key to helping our community. Alumni had: • On-going check-ins with our mental health providers • Counseling sessions • Referrals to community-based resources • A 16-week Wellness Works Series including socially-distanced drum circles, art therapy, and Zoom workshops on trauma informed care Because of donors like you, Reconcile kept its Alumni community informed and supported. Today, Faith is back to safely chasing her dreams. Her bartending skills and work as an event planner have had their ups and downs this year, but she’s maintained the drive to seek opportunities where they present themselves. She laughs about good times and loves to reconnect with her Reconcile family. And if one thing is certain, it’s that Faith has HOPE for the future.

“ ‘P’ is my favorite letter! It’s the letter I want to live by. Pandemics are the thing that break you down, smack you in the face. But when you have PURPOSE, PROSPERITY and you are PATIENT with yourself, somehow, some way, you know you will make it out okay.”

“The main take away for me was to be proud of what you were doing. You figured out that you want to put in the work, not because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s good for you. It’s motivated me to be the person I am today.”

FRED Reconcile is more than a Café. It’s a family. For the 20 years we’ve been at 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, we’ve had generations of young people walk through our door looking to chase dreams. Some of those individuals were actual family. Fred, his sister, now brother-in-law, and cousins all experienced Reconcile as a safe space to learn and grow. Fred would tell you that he had no idea what he was getting into on his first day. But what he learned and experienced would forever change his view of life. Fred figured out early on that his hard work and interpersonal skills could carry him far professionally. His efforts paid off. Reconcile’s financial literacy classes taught him how to manage his income and save money. Experience set him up for success at his pre-pandemic job with The Roosevelt Hotel where he was awarded the “Legacy of Service” Award in February 2020. Fred and more than 160 other Alumni were suddenly unemployed due to the pandemic. Because of donors like you, Alumni could turn to Reconcile for support. With your help: • Reconcile Program staff worked virtually to connect, support, and listen within 24 hours of the shutdown. • Through one-on-one virtual sessions, more than $500,000 of unemployment benefits were directed to Reconcile Alumni and their families to keep them safe and stable. • And more than $40,000 in gift cards were directed to Alumni so that dads like Fred could provide the basic necessities for their children. Fred applied Reconcile’s budgeting workshops and money-saving techniques before the pandemic, setting him up for success. “This year, I found out just how strong I am as a person. So I’m taking the time to invest in myself and really understand what I want in the future.”

DELVIN & CHRIS Delvin remembers looking at the portrait of Reconcile Alum, Chris, hanging in the Café when he first arrived. He knew right away that’s who he was going to be one day. Delvin pointed to the portrait, telling staff, “I’m going to take his place.” That’s when staff made it possible for the two to meet. Over the years, a true friendship has formed. Chris shared his experience navigating the restaurant industry and encouraged Delvin to apply for the same scholarship he had received to attend culinary school in New York. Both have had successful careers working in some of New Orleans’ busiest and well-regarded kitchens – Emeril’s Delmonico, Hyatt Regency, Martin’s Wine Cellar, and The Ace Hotel, to name a few. They have used Reconcile as a launching pad for their careers but also a space to cultivate connection, community, and support. Today, Chris serves on Reconcile’s Board of Directors. Delvin is a staff member, helping with hands-on occupational training for new Interns. Their leadership is helping to shape Reconcile’s work for the future. In 2020, Reconcile supported 200 Alumni with Remote Case Management during the pandemic to ensure Alumni’s safety, well-being, and basic needs were met. It’s this type of connection that keeps a community together. Between March and June 2020, Reconcile provided more than four times the amount of counseling and case management sessions that we traditionally manage in one year.

“ “ As I get older, my sense of PURPOSE has Reconcile is a space where you changed. The way the world is today, our can find someone to look up to – purpose should be to change the world someone to guide you.” for the next generation, for our children. That could be as a role model or standing up for what we believe in.”

“ Day after day, morning after morning – (staff) stayed on me. They kept reminding me and supporting me through the process. They gave me support! Support like I’ve never received from outside of Reconcile before.”

RONNÉ When Reconcile Alumnus Ronné first heard about Reconcile’s program, she was doing her best to level up. Working at Oceana Grill and living in a homeless shelter, Ronné needed help to figure out a path forward. She wanted to create hope and opportunity in her life. Not just for herself, but also for her son. With a passion for cooking, she sought out Reconcile’s program. Despite all the challenges 2020 presented, Reconcile successfully: • Transitioned our hands-on training program into a hybrid, then pandemic-safe, concept • Supported 28 new Interns on their journey to personal and professional ambitions • Addressed barriers like housing and transportation • Provided support services like identification cards and bank accounts so that Interns have the tools necessary to succeed Ronné, like all our Alumni, is hard working, talented, and a dreamer. Barriers like homelessness were holding her back from focusing on what she wants to do with her life. Donors like you ensure Reconcile is staffed with both a full-time Social Worker and Mental Health professional to help Interns and Alumni like Ronné remove barriers. Today, Ronné is back in a restaurant kitchen, putting her talents to work. She made the most of Reconcile’s support over the pandemic and never gave up hope that she can achieve her dreams.

A YEAR IN PICTURES



2019 FINANCIALS SUPPORT AND REVENUE ASSETS: 220,965 Cash 1,638,191 62% Accounts Receivable, Net 3,831,808 Due from Related Party Grants Property & Equipment, Net 333,726 Other 21,872 11% 16% 6,046,562 TOTAL ASSETS Contributions 6% 3%3% Government 70,293 and Donations Funding LIABILITIES: 20,000 Accounts Payable 29,635 Café Sales Other Rental Income Deferred Revenue 18,785 Salaries Payable 1,035,230 EXPENSES Notes Payable 1,173,943 LT Liabilities 65% 3,411,170 TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,461,449 Workforce Development 4,872,619 Program NET ASSETS: Without Donor Restrictions 6,046,562 23% Fun1d2ra%ising With Donor Restrictions Total Net Assets Management and General TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

Dear Friends of Reconcile, The story of Reconcile IS the story of young people. For 20 years, Café Reconcile has called 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard our home. The look and feel of what happens here has changed a lot over the years. But one thing remains a constant – your support of young people as they pursue personal and professional ambitions. 2020 presented challenges on multiple fronts for our community. Our young people were scared. In what seemed to be overnight, Alumni spanning an 18-year history turned to find help navigating serious challenges. Thanks to you, Reconcile was able to support them with creative solutions and by using our skills in new ways. Today, our young people are adapting to new environments and finding ways to keep chasing their dreams. And with your ongoing help, for as long as our community needs us, the five floors of Reconcile will be here. Because when it all comes down to it, Reconcile is more than five stories – more than a Café. Reconcile is family. And together, we are RECONCILE.

New Orleans 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70113 (504) 568-1157