Malik Dabon, right, a 20 years old intern at Café Reconcile, prepares some food under the supervision of Raphael Bravo, a trainer advocate for cooking, baking and service with Café Reconcile, before the restaurant opens in New Orleans, La., Feb. 16, 2023. Café Reconcile runs a volunteer program serving self-initiated youth ages 16-24 who reside in the Greater New Orleans area. Café Reconcile combines hands-on food service training with classroom instruction, individual case management, job placement services, and follow-up support to develop a participant’s ability to become independent, self-sufficient, and successfully employed.

Featuring soul-filled local dishes, Café Reconcile is a destination lunch spot for a wide cross-section of New Orleanians as well as visitors from all across the country. Focusing on the kind of “soul food” for which New Orleans is known, the restaurant has earned high praise from local and national critics.

 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training initiative offers SNAP recipients in Louisiana the opportunity to gain skills, training and work experience. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, and its goal is to help participants secure regular employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency. (USDA photo by Christophe Paul)