Reconcile at 25
Purpose Possibility & Impact
From a leap of faith in 2000 to transforming thousands of lives—celebrate our journey and the stories that shaped us.
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25 Years of
Transformation
2000+
Total Program Graduates
25
Years in Central City
40+
Community partners
108,000
Catfish Plates Served
Priceless
Lives Transformed
A Legacy
in Motion
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1996
Reconcile’s building purchased for $50,000
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2000
Café Reconcile established
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2005
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans and Gulf Coast
Cafe Reconcile reopened in 6 weeks with only 3 staff and volunteers serving buffet style
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2007
First Lady Laura Bush visits Cafe Reconcile as part of Katrina recovery effort
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2008
Craig Cuccia steps down as first Executive Director. New Executive Director appointed: Sister Mary Lou Specha
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2010
Launch of Reconcile’s Building on 10 Anniversary Campaign to renovate the building and expand programming.
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2012
Glen Artemantrout announced as Reconcile’s 3rd Executive Director
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2013
Cafe Reconcile reopens after renovations from Building on 10 Campaign
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2014
Delgado Community College Scholarship Program announced
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2016
Gerald Duhon hired as Reconcile’s 4th Executive Director
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2020
MAY
Reopen for take out after initial March 2020 Covid-19 pandemic closureNOVEMBER
Chef Martha Wiggins takes charge of dining operations as new Chief Culinary Officer -
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2023
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2023
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2024
February
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2024
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2024
OCTOBER Grand Open of the Oscar J. Tolmas Career Exploration Center
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2025
Celebrating 25 years at Reconcile!
A Look Back at Special Anniversary Moments
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Community Day
Community Day at Café Reconcile celebrated 25 years of transformation through the voices and talents of our incredible alumni community. It had a special lunch service featuring our signature menu plus anniversary specials, and filled with storytelling, family-friendly fun, mission-driven activations, and even the announcement of our community conversations that brought our story to life. See how a community investing in its young people creates lasting change and discover how you can be part of the next chapter.
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SUNday SOCIAL
This laid-back, approachable neighborhood social brought together everything we love about New Orleans—incredible live music from headlining local act Sunpie Barnes, signature cocktails from New Orleans’ hottest bars, curated Reconcile passed offerings, plus food stations featuring our alumni and workforce partner chefs, and the kind of authentic community spirit that defines Reconcile. We danced, dined, and sipped on delicious cocktails while experiencing firsthand the power of our mission to cultivate growth and empower potential in New Orleans youth. It was more than a party—it was 25 years of impact served up with good music, great food, and even greater purpose!
25 Years of
Growth Stories
Hear from the voices that built our community
Kheri Billy
Chief Executive Officer
“When I think about emerging needs for the young people at Reconcile, I like to always think more broadly about how our city operates. What are the needs of young people, children, adults
in our city? Because we’re not serving young people in a bubble.”
Caitlin Scanlan
Chief Development Officer
“Reconcile is a community. There is a legacy of saying, ‘I want what is better for the next generation.’ When you give that gift, it is going back to young people to do really important work.”
More Stories
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Micah Sharp
Reconcile 2025 Intern
“It opened me up to so many possibilities. My whole perspective changed, so I just keep growing, keep learning.”
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Martha Wiggins
Chief Culinary Officer and Executive Chef
“While our young people need structure, consistency, and to be held accountable, they also need love and to know that they are loved. And I think they really feel that here.”
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Craig Cuccia
Co-Founder
“The trust level that was built in those first years was amazing, and it was all through fully looking out for the children.”
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John J. Zollinger, IV
Board Chair 2025-2026
“It started off with a really big heart and a really big mission, and it's evolved into a place where this is a truly professional organization that is doing wonderful work and impacting lives to a really great extent.”
Does Your City
Love You Back?
Does Your City Love You Back? is a three-part series from Reconcile and WDSU that explores what it really means for New Orleans to care for its young people. Through conversations with community leaders, alumni, and advocates, the series highlights how Reconcile models what it looks like when a city truly shows love in action.
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Episode 1
In Episode 1, Cafe Reconcile CEO Kheri Billy and Chief Program Officer Monique Robinson are joined by alum Keenan Jordan and reflect on the organization’s beginnings and its impact on the community.
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Episode 2
In Episode 2, Cafe Reconcile CEO Kheri Billy and Chief Program Officer Monique Robinson are joined by Toya Crosby, Program Manager of Employment & Alumni Services for Cafe Reconcile, and Jake Gleghorn, the Chief Strategy Officer of New Orleans Career Center to talk about setting up young people of Cafe Reconcile up for success.
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Episode 3
In the series finale, WDSU’s Darryl Forges and co hosts Kheri Billy and Monique Robinson of Cafe Reconcile discuss how the organization and city of New Orleans can come together to help young people thrive. Karen Evans of the Children's Youth & Planning Board and Dr. Berre Burch of the Children's Bureau of New Orleans break down how systemic love and support for youth, as well as filling the community well of resources will help young people build not only for their future, but also build better mental health.
We’re Preparing for
the Next 25 Years
Will You Join us?
Caitlin Scanlan
Chief Development Officer
As we close out this milestone 25th anniversary year, I invite you to invest in the next 25 years of transformation at Reconcile New Orleans. Every young person who walks through our doors is looking for the same thing: a chance to build a meaningful career, build lasting financial security, and contribute to our community's strength - and with your support, we can continue creating those pathways to success.
Your year-end gift directly funds the life-changing work that has transformed thousands of lives: from our comprehensive 14-week training program and wraparound support services to the ingredients, uniforms, and resources that turn potential into careers with an 85% job placement rate. When you invest in Reconcile, you're not just supporting a program—you're investing in New Orleans' future workforce, in families gaining economic stability, and in the belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive right here in the city we all love.
