TONIGHT’S MEETING STARTS AT 530. NEW AT NOON. CAFE RECONCILE RECEIVES ITS LARGEST DONATION IN HISTORY, WORTH SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS. THE MONEY WILL GO TOWARDS YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. WDSU REPORTER ANUM SIDDIQUI IS HIGHLIGHTING THE NONPROFITS TRANSFORMATIVE WORK OVER THE YEARS. FOR YEARS, CAFE RECONCILE HAS BEEN ADMIRED NATIONALLY FOR THEIR WORK TO PUT YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT PATH. NOW, LEADERS SAY WITH THIS $4 MILLION DONATION, IT REALLY EXPANDS THEIR COMMITMENT. ANYBODY RECEIVING A CALL ABOUT A DONATION OF $4 MILLION, IT’S JUST AMAZING. AND SO FIRST I JUST HAD TO CALM DOWN. UM, IT WAS SO EXCITING. WE’VE WORKED REALLY HARD OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS TO BE ABLE TO GROW, UM, THE ORGANIZATION CAFE RECONCILE PROGRAM PREPARES. 16 TO 24 YEARS OLD FOR THE WORKFORCE. IN 14 WEEKS. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PAIRED WITH MENTORS, EARN INDUSTRY CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB TRAINING AT THE CAFE. THE GOAL TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AND ADDRESS EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS. APPRECIATING THE RESTAURANT’S ADVOCACY, PHILANTHROPIST MACKENZIE SCOTT IS DONATING $4 MILLION. THE LARGEST DONATION IN THE NONPROFIT HISTORY. CEO CARRIE BILLY SAYS THIS GIFT WAS MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AND IT WILL AMPLIFY THEIR WORK. THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND EVOLVING THING, SO FOR US, IT IS ALWAYS CENTERING YOUNG PEOPLE. IT’S AN INTERN CENTERED SPACE. IT’S A PEOPLE COMMUNITY AND CITY. AND SO FOR US, WE SEE THIS GIFT AS, UM, SUPPORT OF OUR WORK, OF DEEPENING WHAT WE DO FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WHAT’S TO COME FOR THEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO THE NONPROFIT ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS ALL YEAR LONG, SERVING AROUND. 120 YOUNG PEOPLE. FOR ANYONE INTERESTED, THERE WILL BE AN OPEN HOUSE ON MARCH 19TH AT 330 AT T