Reconcile Roundup, April 2017
Cafe Reconcile enjoys a relatively strong brand awareness in not only New Orleans, but across the country. Almost 17 years of serving the youth of our community with a unique model of blending the non profit and for profit sectors will afford one organization this type of recognition.
But how many people have visited Cafe Reconcile in the last 90 days? In the last six months or a year? When is the last time YOU visited Cafe Reconcile?
Trying to be accommodating for more Cafe Reconcile lovers to visit us – or to get re-acquainted again – we rolled out weekly Friday night dinners in March. The menu is solid, the atmosphere is more laid back as you can grab a drink and unwind after a long week. And the experience is predictably very mission-centered.
Come see us at Cafe Reconcile for Dinner – every Friday from 5:30pm – 9:00pm. Reservations are available, but not required. I hope to see you there soon.
I am a firm believer that a nonprofit with a solid mission has to perform a simple task to gain support from an engaged community – tell its story. The more people who truly know a non-profit’s mission and how it goes about executing that pursuit, the more people who will roll up their sleeves to support this mission.
That’s where the idea of Dinner service began – allowing more people to experience Cafe Reconcile and thus partner with us in our mission of helping talented young people transform their lives. Yes, we hope to make a little money to go back into our efforts – the bar service alone should help us there – but the real motivation is to spread our message to more people.
I try to make an appearance in our dining room each day at lunch. Many faces are familiar – repeat customers, some with loyalty stretching back years. But a workday lunch is a much different experience than a weekend dinner. Catching up with a friend over lunch or working on a business plan is a much different dynamic – with time constraints – then heading out with family or a group of friends to enjoy dinner.
Our staff feels the difference also. The kitchen hums a little faster as demand peeks and the variety of what can be prepared has expanded. The wait staff juggles higher service expectations of a dining experience at dinner as well as the needs of a limited but effective wine list. There is a buzz at Cafe Reconcile on Fridays – all day. We can’t wait to sing open those doors at 5:30pm
Come see us for Dinner. If you are in for lunch all the time, thank you. Introduce someone else to a fabulous meal and remarkable mission. If you haven’t seen us in a awhile (or ever), please consider this your special invitation.
More than 1,500 alumni have been impacted by Cafe Reconcile since it was first founded. We were able to do that because of community support. You see Cafe Reconcile didn’t do that. We, the community, did that. That is our way forward. The New Orleans community supporting this New Orleans asset. How much fun is it that this support can be in the way of sharing a great meal.
Help us serve the young people in our care. Come see us for dinner.
-Gerald Duhon, Executive Director
