Boys Town Louisiana

Mark (left) and Joseph found their recipe for success at Boys Town Louisiana and Café Reconcile.

Boys Town Teens Find Flavor of Life

When Joseph and Mark first came to Boys Town Louisiana the 17-year olds were behind in school and had little hope.   Today, they’re cooking up good things for the future.

Separated from his family, Joseph was trapped in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.  Instead of giving up, Joseph decided to help rescue other victims of the storm.  It wasn’t long before the death and destruction he witnessed during the storm took its toll. 

Mark’s emotional scars were different.  He had been in and out of foster homes for many years.  Boys Town Louisiana was the most stable place he had ever called home.

Boys Town Louisiana helped Joseph and Mark find the resources they needed to get better.  Workers were instrumental in helping Joseph find his family, and helped him deal with the trauma he endured during Katrina.  Today, Joseph is living on his own, while Mark is living with his sister, working towards his GED. 

Besides social skills and a family atmosphere, Boys Town Louisiana also helped the teens earn the tools they needed for the future, enrolling them at Café Reconcile.  The working non-profit restaurant provides training and mentoring for at-risk youth, giving them the career skills they need to succeed on their own.  The work experience encourages them to be self-sufficient and gives them the opportunity to change the destructive course of their lives. 

Now, Joseph and Mark are mixing it up, finding a better future with skills for real life.  Boys Town Louisiana helped provide the recipe for success.